THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
_Wherein are contained several strange and surprising accounts of histravels, and his most remarkable transactions both by sea and by land;with his wonderful vision of the angelic world_.
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When we consider the puissant force of Nature and, what mighty influenceit has many times over the temper of the mind, it will be no such greatwonder to think, that my powerful reason should be overcome by a muchstronger inclination. My late acquired kingdom ran continually in mythoughts all the day, and I dreamed of it in the night: nay, I made itthe continual subject of my talk, even to impertinence, when I wasawake. I had such vapours in my head, that I actually supposed myself atmy castle; that I not only perceived Friday's father the old Spaniard,and the wicked sailors, but that I talked and discoursed with them abouttheir manner of living; that I heard the things related to me, which Ifound afterwards to be true; & that I executed my judgments with thegreatest severity upon the offenders. And, indeed, this anticipating allthe pleasing joys of my life, scarcely afforded me one pleasant hour: mydear and tender wife could not but take notice of it, which drew thoseaffectionate speeches from her: _My dear,_ said she, _I am reallypersuaded that some secret impulse from Heaven occasions in you adetermination to see the island again; nor am I less sensible, but yourbeing engaged to me and these dear children is the only hinderance ofyour departure. I know my dear, if I were in the grave, you would notlong continue at home; prevent not your happiness on my account, whoseonly comfort centres in you. All that I can object is, that such anhazardous undertaking is no way consistent with a person of your years;but if you are resolved to go,_ added she, weeping, _only permit me tobear you company, and that is all that I desire._
Such endearing tenderness, graced with the most innocent and yet mostpowerful charms, brought me insensibly into my right understanding; andwhen I considered all the transactions of my life, and particularly mynew engagement, that I had now one child already born, and my wife bigof another; and that I had no occasion to seek for more riches, whoalready was blessed with sufficiency, with much struggling I altered myresolutions at last, resolving to apply myself to some business orother, which might put a period to such wandering inclinations. HereuponI bought a little farm in the county of Bedford, with a resolution tomove thither; upon this there was a pretty convenient house surroundedwith land, very capable of improvement, which suited my temper, as toplanting, managing, and cultivating. Nor was I long before I enteredupon my new settlement, having bought ploughs, harrows, carts, waggons,horses, cows, and sheep; so that I now led the life of a countrygentleman, and as happy in my retirement as the greatest monarch in theworld. And what made me think my happiness the greater was, that I wasin the middle state of life, which my father had so often recommended,much resembling the felicity of a rural retirement, which is elegantlydescribed by the poet in these lines:
_Free from all vices, free from care,Age has no pain, and youth no snare._
But, in the midst of this my happiness, I was suddenly plunged in thegreatest sorrow that I could possibly endure; for when I least expectedit, my dear and tender wife was forced to submit to the irresistablepower of Death, leaving this transitory life for a better. It isimpossible for me to express the beauties of her mind, or the lovelinessof her person; neither can I too much lament her loss, which my latestbreath shall record; her influence was greater over me, than the powersof my own reason, the importunities of friends, the instructions of afather, or the melting tears of a tender and disconsolate mother; in aword, she was the spirit of all my affairs, and the centre of myenterprizes. But now, since the cruel hand of Death had closed mydearest's eyes, I seemed in my thoughts a stranger to the world; myprivy counsellor being gone, I was like a ship without a pilot, thatcould only run before the wind. And when I looked around me in this busyworld, one party labouring for bread, and the other squandering awaytheir estates; this put me in mind how I had lived in my little kingdom,where both reason and religion dictated to me, that there was somethingthat certainly was the reason and end of life, which was far superior towhat could be hoped for on this side the grave. My country delights werenow as insiped and dull, as music and science to those who have neithertaste nor ingenuity. In short, resolving to leave off house-keeping, Ileft my farm, and in a few months returned to London.
But neither could that great city, so famous for its variety ofentertainment, afford me any agreeable delight; a state of idleness Ifound to be the very dregs of life, and most hurtful to body and soul.It was now the beginning of the year 1684, at which time my nephew (whoas I before observed had been brought up to the sea, and advanced to becaptain of a ship) was returned from a short voyage to Bilboz, the firsthe had made in that station. He comes to me one morning, telling me thatsome merchants of his acquaintance had proposed to him to go a voyagefor them to the East Indies and China in the manner of private traders;_and now uncle_, said he, _if you'll accompany me thither, I'll engageto land you upon your old island, to visit the state of yourlittle kingdom_.
Just before he came in, my thoughts were fixed to get a patent for itspossession, and then to fill it with inhabitants. After I had paused awhile, and looked stedfastly on him. _What devil or spirit_, said I,_sent you with this unlucky errand_? He started at first; but recoveringhimself, when he perceived I was not offended; _Sir_, replied he, _whatI have proposed cannot I hope, be styled unlucky, since certainly youmust be desirous to see your little territory, where you reigned withmore content, than any of your brother kings in the universe. Nephew_,said I, _if you will leave me there, and call for me as you came back, Icare not if I give my consent_: but he answered, _that the merchantswould not allow their vessel loaden with an infinite value, to returnthere again, which was a month's sail out of the way; besides, Sir_ saidhe, _if I should miscarry, was your request granted, why then you wouldbe locked up as before_. This indeed carried a great deal of reason init; but we found out a remedy, and that was to carry a framed sloop onboard, ready to be set up in the island, by the assistance of somecarpenters, which we should carry with us, that might be fitted in a fewdays to go to sea. I was not long in forming my resolution, whichoverswayed my good friend the widow's persuasions, and the naturalaffection I bore to my young children. I made my will, and settled myestate in such manner, that I was perfectly sure my poor infants wouldhave justice done them. The good widow not only undertook to makeprovision, for my voyage, but also took the charge of my domesticaffairs, and to provide for my children's education; and indeed nomother could take more care, or understood that office better; for whichI lived to reward and return her my hearty thanks.
The beginning of January, 1694.5, my nephew being ready to sail, I andFriday went on board in the Downs on the 8th, having, besides that sloopalready mentioned, a very considerable cargo for my new colony. First, Ihad some servants, whom I proposed to leave there, as they should appearwilling; there were two carpenters, a smith, and a very ingenuous fellowwho was Jack-of-all-trades; for he was not only a cooper by trade, butalso he was dexterous at making wheels and hand-mills to grind corn,likewise a good turner, and a good pot-maker. I also carried a tailor,who consented to stay in my plantation, and proved a most necessaryfellow in the island. As to my cargo, it consisted of a sufficientquantity of linen, and English stuffs for clothing the Spaniards that Iexpected to find there; as likewise gloves, hats, shoes, stockings;together with beds, bedding, and household stuff, especially kitchenutensils, with pots, kettles, pewter, brass, &c. also nails, tools ofall sorts, staples, hooks, hinges, and all other things necessary; allwhich, I think, cost me about three hundred pounds. Nor was this all forI carried an hundred spare arms, muskets, & fusees, besides somepistols, a considerable quantity of several sorts of shot, two brasscannon, besides swords, cutlasses, and the iron part of some pikes andhalberts. I made my nephew take with us two small quarter-deck guns,more than he had occasion for in his ship, to leave behind,
if there wasa necessity; so that we might build a fort there, and man it against allopposers whatsoever.
Well, we put out to sea; and though I can't say this voyage was sounprosperous as my others had been, yet contrary winds drove us so farnorthward, that we were obliged to put in at Galway in Ireland, where welay wind-bound two and twenty days. Here indeed our provisions were verycheap, and we added to our ship's stores by taking several live hogs,two cows and calves, which I then resolved to put on shore in my island,if our necessities did not call for them. On the 5th of February wesailed from Ireland, with a very fair gale, which lasted for some days;and I think it was about the 20th of the same month late in the evening,when the mate informed us, that he saw a flash of fire, and heard a gunfired: and when he was speaking a boy came in and told us, that theboatswain had heard another. Upon which we all ran to the quarter-deck,from whence, in a few moments, we perceived a terrible fire at adistance. We had immediately recourse to our reckonings, in which, wewere all of opinion, that there could be no land that way, it appearingto be at N.N.W. Hereupon we concluded that some ship had taken fire atsea, and that it could not be far off by the report of the guns which wehad heard. We made up directly to it, and in half an hour's time thewind being fair, we could plainly perceive a great ship on fire in themiddle of the sea. Touched with this unhappy disaster, and consideringmy former circumstances, when the Portuguese Captain took me up, Iimmediately ordered five guns to be fired that the poor creatures, notseeing us, it being dark, (though we could perceive their flame) mightbe sensible there was deliverance at hand, and consequently mightendeavor to save themselves in their boat. Nor was it long before theship blew up in the air and the fire was extinguished in the ocean. Butsupposing them all to be in their boats, we hung out our lanterns andkept firing till eight o'clock in the morning; when with ourperspectives, we beheld two boats full of people making towards us tho'the tide was against them then spreading out our ancient; and hangingout a waft, as a signal for them to come on board, in half an hour'stime; we came up to them, and took them all in, there being no less thansixty-four men, women, and children. It was a French merchant ship ofthree hundred tons; homeward bound from Quebec in the river of Canada.The master informed me how, by the negligence of the steersman, thesteerage was set on fire: that, at his outcry for help, the fire was, aswe thought totally extinguished; but, that some sparks getting betweenthe timber, and within the ceiling, it proceeded into the hold, wherethere was no resisting it; & then they got into their boats, ascreatures in the last extremity, with what provision they had, togetherwith oars, sails, and a compass, intending to go back to Newfoundland,the wind blowing at S.E. and by E. though there were several chancesagainst them as storms to overset and founder them, rains and colds tobenumb and perish their limbs, and contrary winds to keep them back andstarve them; _But_, said he, _in this our great distress we heard thewelcome report of your guns, when with unspeakable joy, taking down ourmasts and sails, we were resolved to lie by till morning; but perceivingyour light, we set our oars at work, to keep our boat a head, the soonerto attain your ship, the happy instrument of our deliverance_.
Indeed no one can express the joy of these poor creatures on thisoccasion: fear and grief are easily set forth; sighs and tears, with afew motions of the hands and head, are all the demonstrations of thesepassions; but an excess of joy, carries in it a thousand extravagancies;especially, I think, among the French, whose temper is allowed to bemore volatile, passionate, sprightly, and gay, than that of othernations. Some were weeping, tearing themselves in the greatest agoniesof sorrow, and running stark mad about the ship, while the rest werestamping with their feet, wringing their hands, singing, laughing,swooning away, vomiting, fainting, with a few returning hearty thanks tothe Almighty; and crossing themselves. I think, if I am not mistaken,our surgeon was obliged to let thirty of them blood. But among thepassengers, there were two priests, the one an old, and the other ayoung man; but what amazed me more was, that the oldest was in the worstplight; for no sooner did he perceive himself freed from danger, but hedropt down as it were without life, and to every one's appearance quitedead; but the surgeon chasing and rubbing his arm, opened a vein, whichat first dropped, and then flowing more freely, the old man began toopen his eyes; and in a quarter of an hour was well again. But soonremembering this happy change, the joy of which whirled his blood aboutfaster than the vessels could convey it, he became so feverish, as madehim more fit for bedlam than any other place. But the surgeon givinghim a sleepy dose, he was perfectly composed the next morning.
Remarkable indeed was the behaviour of the young priest. At his entranceon board the ship, he fell on his face in the most humble prostration tothe Almighty. I thought, indeed, he had fallen into a swoon, and so ranto help him up; but he modestly told me, _he was returning his thanks tothe Almighty, desiring me to leave him a few moments, and that, next tohis Creator, he would return me thanks also_. And indeed he did so aboutthree minutes after, with great seriousness, and affection, while thetears stood in his eyes, which convinced me of the gratitude of hissoul. Nor did he less show his piety and wisdom in applying himself tohis country people, and labouring to compose them, by the most powerfulreasons, arguments, and persuasions. And when, indeed, these people hadtaken their night's repose, in such lodgings as our ship would allow, wefound nothing but the best of manners, and the most civilacknowledgements, for which the French are eminently remarkable. Thenext day the Captain and one of the priests desired to speak with me andmy nephew the commander. They told us, _that they had saved some moneyand valuable things out of the ruined vessel, which was at our service;only that they desired to be set on shore some where in our way_. At thefirst my nephew was for accepting the money; but I (who knew how hard mycase would have been, had the Portuguese Captain served me so) persuadedhim to the contrary; and therefore told them, _that as we had donenothing but what we were obliged to do, by nature and humanity, and whatwe ourselves might expect from others in such calamity; so we took themup to save them, not to plunder them, or leave them naked upon the land,to perish for want of subsistance, and therefore would not accept theirmoney: but as to landing them, that was a great difficulty; for beingbound to the East Indies, it was impossible wilfully to change ourvoyage upon their particular account, nor could my nephew_ (who wasunder charter party to pursue it by was of Brazil) _answer it to thefreighters_. All that we could do, was to put ourselves in the way ofmeeting some ships homeward bound from the West Indies, that, ifpossible, they might get a passage to France or England. Indeed, theywere very thankful for our first kindness; but were under great concern,especially the passengers, at their being carried to the East Indies._They begged therefore, I would keep on the banks of Newfoundland,where, probably, they might meet with some ship, or sloop to carry themto Canada, whence they came._ As this was but a reasonable request, Iwas inclined to grant it, since it was no breach of charter party, andthat the laws of God and nature obliged us to do what good we could toour fellow-creatures; and besides the danger we ourselves should be infor want of provisions: so we consented to carry them to Newfoundland,if wind and weather would permit; if not, that we should carry them toMartinico in the West Indies. But, as it happened, in a week's time wemade the banks of Newfoundland, where the French people hired a bark tocarry them to France. But the young priest being desirous to go to theEast Indies, I readily agreed to it, because I liked his conversation,and two or three of the French sailors also entered themselves onboard our ship.
Now directing our course for the West Indies, steering S. and S. by E.about twenty days, with little wind, another adventure happened toexercise our humanity. In the latitude of 27 degrees, 5 minutes north,the 19th of March 1694-5, we perceived a sail, (our course S. E. and byS.) which bore upon us, and then she appeared to be a large vessel,having lost her main topmast and boltsprit; when firing a gun as asignal of distress, wind N. N.W. we soon came to speak with her. She wasa ship from Bristol, bound home from Barbadoes, out of which road shehad been
forced in a hurricane to the westward, in which they losttheir masts.
They told us, _their expectations were to see the Bahama islands, butwere driven away by a strong wind at N.N.W. and having no sails to workthe ship with, but the main-course and a kind of square sail upon a juryforemast, because they could not come near the land, were endeavouringto stand for the Canaries: nay what was worse, besides all theirfatigue, they were almost starved for want of provision, having atenothing for eleven all that they had aboard, was sugar, a barrel offresh water and seven casks of rum_. In this ship were passengers, ayouth, his mother, and a maid-servant, who were in a most deplorablecondition for want of food. If I had not gone on board their ship, theknowledge of their misery had been concealed from me, and they wouldhave inevitably perished; though, indeed, their second mate who wasCaptain, by reason the true Captain was not on board when the hurricanehappened, had before informed me that there was such persons on board,whom he supposed to be dead, being afraid to inquire after them, becausehe had nothing to give them for relief. Hereupon we resolved to let themhave what we could spare, ordering the mate to bring some of his men onboard us, which he did accordingly: as he and they looked likeskeletons, when meat was set before them, I ordered them to eatsparingly. But, however they soon fell sick; which obliged the surgeonto mix something in their broth, which was to be to them both food andphysic. When they were fed, we ordered our mate to carry them a sack ofbread, and four or five pieces of beef; but the surgeon charged them tosee it boiled, and to keep a guard on the cook-room, to prevent the menfrom eating it raw, and consequently killing themselves with what wasdesigned for their relief. But, particularly, I desired the mate to seewhat condition the poor passengers were in, and the surgeon gave him apitcher of the same broth which he had prepared for the men. And beingcurious to see this scene of misery myself, I took the Captain (as wecalled the mate of the ship) in our own boat, and sailed after them.
Here was a sad sight indeed! scarce were the victuals half boiled in thepot; but they were ready to break open the cook-room door. To stay theirstomachs the mate gave them biscuits, which were dipped in and softenedthem with the liquor of the meat, which they call _bruise_; tellingthem, it was for their own safety, that he was obliged to give them buta little at a time; and so feeding them gradually, their bellies werecomfortable filled, and the men did very well again. But when they cameto the poor gentlewoman in the cabin, who for several days had continuedwithout food, giving what she had to her son, they found her as it werein the arms of death. She was sitting upon the floor of the deck, withher back up against the sides, between two chairs, which were lashedfast, and her head shrunk, between her shoulders, like a senselesscorpse. Nothing was wanting in my mate to revive and encourage her;opening her lips, and putting some broth into her mouth with a spoon.But not having strength to speak, she lifted up her head with muchdifficulty, intimating that it was now too late! at the same timepointing to the youth her son, as though she desired him to do what hecould to save the lad; and in a little time after she died.
The youth, indeed, was not so far gone; yet lay stretched out on a cabinbed, like one that had scarce any life. In his mouth was a piece of anold glove, the rest of which he had ate up. At first he vomited what themate had given him; but at length began sensibly to revive, though inthe greatest concern for the death of his tender mother.
As to the poor maid, she lay by her mistress, like one in the last pangsof death: her limbs were distorted, one of her hands were clasped roundthe frame of a chair, which she grasped so hard, that it was with somedifficulty we separated her from it; her other arm lay over her head,and her feet lay both together, set fast against the frame of the cabintable; not only being, starved with hunger, but overcome with grief atthe loss of her mistress, whom she loved most tenderly. It was a greatwhile before the surgeon could bring her to life, and a much longer timebefore she came to her senses.
After we had sailed with them some days, we sent them five barrels ofbeef, one of pork, two hogsheads of biscuit, with peas, flour, and otherthings; taking three casks of sugar, some rum, and some pieces of eightas payment, we left them, but took the youth and maid with us, with alltheir goods. The lad was about seventeen years old, very handsome,modest, sensible, and well-bred, but mightily concerned for the lossof his honoured mother, having lost his father at Barbadoes but a fewmonths before. He beseeched the surgeon to intercede with me to take himout of the ship; for that the sailors, not sparing a small sustenance,had starved his mother. But hunger has no bounds, no right, andconsequently is incapable of any compassion. When the surgeon told him,our voyage might put him in bad circumstances, and farther from hisfriends, he said _he did not care, if he was delivered from that terriblecrew; that as the Captain_ (meaning me) _had saved him from death, so hewas sure he would do him no harm; and, as for the maid, when she wasrestored to her senses, she would be no less thankful, let us carry themwhere we would_. And indeed the surgeon so represented their case to me,that I consented, and took them on board with all their goods, excepteleven hogsheads of sugar; but the youth having a bill of lading, I madethe commander oblige himself to deliver a letter and the deceased widow'sgoods to Mr. Rogers, a merchant in Bristol; but I believe the ship waslost at sea, for we never could hear what became of her afterwards. Wewere now in the latitude 19 deg. 32 min. having as yet a tolerable goodvoyage. But, passing by several little incidents relating to wind andweather, I shall relate what is most remarkable concerning my littlekingdom, to which I was then drawing near. I had great difficulty infinding it, for as I came to, and went from it before, on the south andeast side of the island, as coming from the Brazils, so now approachingbetween the main and the island, not having any chart for the coast, norland mark, it obliged us to go on shore on several islands in the mouthof the river Oroonoko, but to the purpose. Thus I perceived, that whatI thought was a continent before, was no such thing, but a long island,or rather a ridge of sands. On one of these islands I found someSpaniards, but they belonged to the isle of Trinidad, who came hitherin a sloop to make salt, and try to find some pearl muscles. But atlength I came fair on the south side of my island, and there Ipresently knew the countenance of my little kingdom; so we brought theship safe to an anchor, broadside within the creek, where stood myancient and venerable castle.
No sooner did I see the place, but calling for Friday, I asked him wherehe was? But when he looked a little, he clapped his hands, crying, _Ojoy, O there, O yes, O there!_ pointing to our old abode, and then fella dancing and capering as if he was mad, and I had much ado to keep himfrom jumping into the sea, to swim ashore. 'Friday,' said I, 'what do youthink, shall we go to see your father?' at the mentioning his father'sname, the poor affectionate creature fell a-weeping: _No, no,_ says he,_me see him no more, never see poor father more! he long ago die, dielong ago: he much old man._ 'You don't know that,' said I, 'but shall wesee any body else?' He looks about, and pointing to the hill above myhouse, cries out, _We see, we see there much men and there_: which,though I could not perceive them with my perspective glass, was true,by what the men themselves told me the next day.
When the English ancient was spread, and three guns fired, as a signalof friendship, we perceived a smoke rise from the creek; upon which Iordered the boat out, taking Friday with me, and hanging out a whiteflag of truce, I went on shore, accompanied also by the young friar, towhom I had related the history of the first part of my life; besides wehad sixteen men well armed, in case we had met with any opposition.
After we had rowed directly into the creek, the first man I fixed my eyeupon was the Spaniard, whose life I had saved, and whose face Iperfectly well knew. I ordered them all to stay in the boat for a while:but Friday, perceiving his father at a distance, would have jumped intothe sea, had they not let the boat go. No sooner was he on shore, but heflew like a swift arrow out of a bow to embrace his aged father.Certainly it would melt a man of the firmest resolution into the softesttears to see with what uncommon transports of joy he saluted him;
hefirst kissed him, then stroked his face, took him in his arms, laid himunder a shady tree, sat down by him, then looked as earnestly at him asone could do at a picture, for a quarter of an hour together. After thishe would lie upon the ground, stroke his legs and kiss them, then get upand stare at him, as though he was bewitched; but the next day one couldnot forbear laughter to see his behaviour, for he would walk severalhours with his father along the shore, leading him by the hand as tho'he was a lady; while, every now and then, he would run to the boat toget something for him, as a lump of sugar, dram, biscuit, or somethingor other that was good. His frolics ran in another channel in theafternoon; when he set old Friday on the ground, he would dance roundhim, making comical postures and gestures; and all this while would betelling him one story or another of his travels and adventures.
It was on the 10th of April, _anno_ 1695, that I set my foot upon theisland a second time. When my faithful Spaniard, accompanied by onemore, approached the boat, he little knew who I was, till I discoveredmyself to him. _Seignor_, said I, in Portuguese, _don't you know me_? Hespoke never a word, but giving his musket to his attendant, extended hisarms, and saying something in Spanish that I did not then understand, hecame forward & embraced me, saying, _he was inexcusable not to know hisdeliverer: who, like an angel sent from heaven, had saved his life_; Hethen beckoned to the man to call out his companions, asking me if Iwould walk to my own habitation and take possession, where I should findsome mean improvements; but indeed they were extraordinary ones: forthey had planted so many trees so close together, that the place waslike a labyrinth, which none could find out except themselves, who knewits intricate windings. I asked him the meaning of all thesefortifications? he told me _he would give a large account of what hadpassed since my departure till this time, and how he had subdued someEnglish, who thought to be their murderers, hoping I would not bedispleased, since necessity compelled them to it_. As I knew they werewicked villains, so I told him, that I was not only far from findingfault with it, but was rather heartily glad that they had subdued them.While we were thus talking, the man whom he sent returned, accompaniedby eleven more, but in such habits, that it was impossible to tell whatnations they were of. He first turned to me, and pointing to them,_These Sir,_ said he, _are some of the gentlemen who owe their lives toyour goodness_, then turning to them, and pointing to me, he made themsensible who I was; and, then indeed they saluted me one by one, not asordinary men, but as tho' they had been ambassadors or noblemen, and I atriumphant conqueror; for their behaviour not only agreed with amanlike, majestic gravity, but at the same time was so obliging andcourteous, as made them agreeable to the last degree.
Before I relate the history of the transactions of my kingdom, as I hadit from the Spaniard's own mouth, I must here insert what I omitted inmy former relation. The matter is this: Just before we weighed anchorand set sail, there happened a quarrel on board the ship, which had liketo have occasioned a second mutiny, till such time the courageousCapitan, taking two of the most refractory prisoners, laid them in ironsthreatening, as they were concerned in the former disorders, so havethem hanged in England for running away with the ship. This frightenedsome of the rest, as thinking the Captain would serve them in the samemanner, though he seemed to give them good word for the present. But themate having intelligence of this, mad me acquainted with their fears; sothat to make them more easy, and ourselves more safe from theirconspiracies I was obliged to go down, and pass my honour's word for it,that upon their good behaviour, all that was past should be forgiven; intestimony of which, I ordered the two men's irons to be taken off; &themselves forgiven. But as this had brought us to an anchor that night,in which there was a calm; the two men that had been in irons stole eachof them a musket, and some other weapons, and taking the ship's pinnace,not yet hauled up, ran away to their brother rogues. The next morning wesent the long-boat with men to pursue them, but all in vain; the mate,in revenge, would have demolished my little castle, burnt his furnitureand destroyed their plantations, but having no orders for it, he did notput it in execution. And thus there were five Englishmen in the island,which caused great differences, as my faithful Spaniard gave me aperfect account of, in the following manner:
You cannot, Sir, but remember the embassy you sent me about, and what adisappointment we met with, by your absence, at our return. There is butlittle variety in the relation of all our voyage, being blessed withcalm weather and a smooth sea. Great indeed was the joy of my countrymento see me alive, having acted as the principal man on board, the captainof the shipwrecked vessel dying before; nor was their surprise less, asknowing I was taken prisoner by the savages of another nation, they hadthought me long since entombed in their monstrous bowels. But when Ishowed them the arms, ammunition, and provisions I had brought for them,they looked upon me as a second Joseph advanced in Pharoah's court, andimmediately prepared to come along with me. Indeed they were obliged totrespass upon their friendly savages, by borrowing two of their canoes,under a pretext for fishing; and they came away the next morning, butwithout any provisions of their own, except a few roots which servedthem instead of bread. After three weeks absence we arrived at ourhabitation. Here we met with three English sailors, who, I confess, gaveus provisions, and that letter of direction you had left for us, whichinformed us how to bring up tame goats, plant corn, cure grapes, makepots, and, in short, every thing that was necessary for our life. As, inparticular, I knew your method best, so taking Friday's father to assistme, we managed all the affairs; nor were the rest of the Spaniardswanting in their kind offices, dressing food for the Englishmen, who didnothing but ramble and divert themselves in the woods, either shootingparrots, or catching tortoises. But we had not been long ashore, beforewe were informed of two more Englishmen, unnaturally turned out of theircommon place of residence, by the three others above mentioned; thismade my Spaniards and me (whom they now looked upon as their governor inyour absence) endeavour to persuade them to take them in, that we mightbe as one family; but all our intreaties were in vain, so that the poorfellows finding nothing to be done without industry, pitched their tentson the north side of the island, a little inclining to the west, forfear of savages. Here they built two huts, one to lodge, and the otherto lay their stores in; for my good natured Spaniards giving them someseeds, they dug and planted as I had done, and began to live prettily.But while they were thus comfortably going on, the three unnaturalbrutes, their countrymen, in a mere bullying humour, insulted them bysaying, 'the governor (meaning you) had given them a possession of theisland, and d-mn 'em they should build no houses upon their ground,without paying rent.' The two honest men (for so let me now distinguishthem) thought their three countrymen only jested, and one of theminvited them in, to see their fine habitations; while the otherfacetiously told them 'that since they built tenements with greatimprovements, they should, according to the custom of lords, give thema longer lease;' at the same time desiring them to fetch a scriviner todraw the writings. One of these wretches swearing _he should pay for thejest_, snatches up a fire brand, and clapping it to the outside of theirhut, very fairly set it on fire, which would soon have consumed it, hadnot the honest man thrust him away, and trod it with his feet. Hereuponthe fellow returns with his pole, with which he would have ended hisdays, had not the poor man avoided the blow when fetching his musket, heknocked down the villain that began the quarrel. The other two coming toassist their fellow, obliged the honest man to take his musket also, andboth of them presenting their pieces bid the villains stand off; and ifthey did not lay down their arms, death should decide the dispute oneway or other. This brought them to a parley, in which they agreed totake their wounded man and begone; but they were in the wrong that theydid not disarm them when they had the power, and then make theircomplaint to me and my Spaniards for justice, which might have preventedtheir farther designs against them. And indeed so many trespass did theyafterwards commit, by treading down their corn, shooting their youngkids and goats, and plaguing them night and day, that they
resolved tocome to my castle, challenge all the three, and decide their right byone plain battle, while the Spaniards stood by to see fair play. One dayit happened, that two of my Spaniards (one of whom understood English)being in the woods, were met by one of the honest men, who complainedhow barbarous their countrymen had been in destroying their corn,killing their milk-goat and three kids, which deprived them of theirsubsistence; and that if we did not grant them relief, they must beinevitably starved, and so they parted; but when my Spaniards came homeat night, and supper being on the table, one of them began to reprehendthe Englishmen, but in a very mannerly way; which they resenting,replied, _What business had their countrymen in that place withoutleave, when it was none of their ground? Why_, said my Spaniard, calmly,_Inglise, they must not starve:_ but they replied, _Let them starve andbe damn'd, they should neither plant nor build, and damn them, theyshould be their servants, and work for them, for the island was their's,and they would burn all the huts they should find in the island. By thisrule_, said my Spaniard, smiling, _We shall be your servants too. Aye,by God, and so you shall_ replied the impudent rascal. Upon which,starting up, Will Atkins cries, _Come Jack, let's have t'other brushwith them; who dare to build in our dominions?_--Thus leaving ussomething heated with just passion, away they trooped, every man havinga gun, pistol, and sword, muttering some threatening words, that wecould then but imperfectly understand. That night they designed tomurder their two companions, and slept till midnight in the bower,thinking to fall upon them in their sleep: not were the honest men lessthoughtful concerning them; for at this juncture they were coming tofind them out, but in a much fairer way. As soon as the villains came tothe huts, and found nobody there, they concluded that I and my Spaniardhad given them notice, and therefore swore to be revenged on us. Thenthey demolished the poor men's habitations; not by fire, as theyattempted before, but pulled down their houses, limb from limb, notleaving stick nor stone on the ground where they stood, broke theirhousehold stuff in pieces, tore up their trees, spoiled theirinclosures, and, in short, quite ruined them of every thing they had.Had these people met together, no doubt but there would have been abloody battle; but Providence ordered it for the better; for just as thethree were got together the two were at our castle; and when they leftus, the three came back again, but in great rage, scoffingly telling uswhat they had done; when one taking hold of a Spaniard's hat, twirls itround, saying, _And you Seignor Jack Spaniard, shall have the samesauce, if you don't mind your manners_. My Spaniard, a grave butcourageous man, knocked him down with one blow of his fist; at whichanother villain fired his pistol, and narrowly missed his body, butwounded him a little in the ear. Hereat enraged, the Spaniard takes upthe fellow's musket who he had knocked down, and would have shot him, ifI and the rest had not come out, and taken their arms from every oneof them.
"These Englishmen perceiving they had made all of us their enemies,began to cool; but not withstanding their better words the Spaniardswould not return them their arms again, telling them, 'they would dothem no manner of harm, if they would live peaceably; but if theyoffered any injury to the plantation or castle, they would shoot them asthey would do ravenous beasts. This made them so mad, that they wentaway raging like furies of hell. They were no sooner gone, but in camethe two honest men, fired with the justest rage, if such can be, havingbeen ruined as aforesaid. And indeed it was very hard, that nineteen ofus should be bullied by three villains, continually offendingwith impunity.
"It was a great while, Sir, before we could persuade the two Englishmenfrom pursuing, and undoubtedly killing them with their fire-arms; but wepromised them 'justice should be done them, and, in the mean time, theyshould reside with us in our habitation.' In about five days after,these three vagrants, almost starved with hunger, drew near our grove,and perceiving me, the governor, & two others walking by the side of thecreek, they very submissively desired to be received into the familyagain. We told them of 'their great incivility to us, and of theirunnatural barbarity to their countrymen; but yet we would see what therest agreed to, and in half an hour's time would bring them word.'After some debate, we called them in, where their two countrymen laid aheavy charge against them, for not only ruining, but designing to murderthem, which they could not deny. But here I was forced to interpose as amediator, by obliging the two Englishmen not to hurt them, being naked &unarmed, and that the other three should make them restitution, bybuilding their two huts, and fencing their ground in the same manner asit was before. Well, being in a miserable condition, they submitted tothis at present, and lived some time regularly enough, except as to theworking part, which they did not care for, but the Spaniards would havedispensed with that, had they continued easy and quiet. Their arms beinggiven them again, they scarce had them a week when they became astroublesome as ever; but an accident happening soon after, obliged us tolay aside private resentments, and look to our common preservation.
"One night, Sir, I went to bed, perfectly well in health, and yet by nomeans could I compose myself to sleep; upon which, being very uneasy, Igot up and looked out, but it being dark, I could perceive nothing butthe trees around the castle. I went to bed again, but it was all one, Icould not sleep; when one of my Spaniards, hearing me walk about, askedwho it was up? I answered, _It is I_. When I told him the occasion,_Sir_, said he, _such things are not to be slighted; for certainly thereis some mischief plotting against us. Where are the Englishmen?_ said I.He answered _In their huts_; for they lay separate from us, Sir, sincethe last mutiny. _Well,_ said I, _some kind spirit gives thisinformation for advantage. Come let us go abroad, and see if any thingoffers to justify our fears._ Upon which I and some of my Spaniards wentup the mountain, not by the ladder, but through the grove, and then wewere struck with a panic fear on seeing a light, as though it were afire, at a very little distance, and hearing the voices of several men.Hereupon we retreated immediately, and raised the rest of our forces,and made them sensible of the impending danger; but with all myauthority, I could not make them stay where they were, so earnest werethey to see how things went. Indeed the darkness of the night gave themopportunity enough to view them by the light of the fire undiscovered.As they were in different parties, and straggling over the shore, wewere much afraid that they should find out our habitations, and destroyour flocks of goats: to prevent which, we sent immediately an Englishmanand two Spaniards to drive the goats into the valley where the cave lay;or, if there was occasion, into the cave itself: As to ourselves,resuming our native courage and prudent conduct, had we not beendivided, we durst venture to attack an hundred of them; but before itwas very light, we resolved to send out Friday's father as a spy, who,immediately stripping himself naked, gets among them undiscovered, andin two hours time brings word, that 'they were two parties of twodifferent nations, who lately having a bloody battle with one another,happened to land by mere chance on the same island, to devour theirmiserable prisoners; that they were entirely ignorant of any person'sinhabiting here; but rather filled with rage and fury against oneanother, he believed, that as soon as day light appeared, there would bea terrible engagement.' Old Friday had scarce ended his relation, whenwe heard an uncommon noise, and perceived that there was a horridengagement between the two armies.
"Such was the curiosity of our party, especially the Englishmen, thatthey would not lie close, tho' Old Friday told them, 'their safetydepended upon it; and that if we had patience, we should behold thesavages kill one another.' However they used some caution, by goingfarther into the woods, and placing themselves in a convenient place tobehold the battle.
"Never could there be a more bloody engagement, or men of moreinvincible spirits and prudent conduct, according to their manner andway of fighting. It lasted near two hours, till the party which wasnearest our castle began to decline, and at last to fly from theirconquerors. We were undoubtedly put into a great consternation on thisaccount, lest they should run into our grove, and consequently bring usinto the like danger. Hereupon we resolved to kill the first that came,to preven
t discovery, and that too with our swords, and the butt end ofour muskets, for fear the report of our guns should be heard.
"And so indeed, as we thought, it happened; for three of the vanquishedarmy crossing the creek, ran directly to the place, as to a thick woodfor shelter; nor was it long before our scout gave us notice of it: asalso, that the victors did not think fit to pursue them. Upon this Iwould not suffer them to be slain, but had them surprised and taken byour party; afterwards they proved very good servants to us, being stoutyoung creatures, and able to do a great deal of work. The remainder ofthe conquered savages fled to their canoes, and put out into the ocean,while the conquerors, joining together, shouted by way of triumph, andabout three in the afternoon they also embarked for their own nation.Thus we were freed at once from these savages and our fears, notperceiving any of these creatures for some considerable time after. Wefound two and thirty men dead in the field of battle; some were slainwith long arrows, which we found sticking in their bodies; & the restwere killed with great unwieldy wooden swords, which denoted their vaststrength, and of which we found seventeen, besides bows and arrows: butwe could not find one wounded creature among them alive; for they eitherkill their enemies quite, or carry those wounded away with them.
"This terrible fight tamed the Englishmen for some time, consideringhow unfortunate they might have been had they fallen into their hands,who would not only kill them as enemies, but also for food, as we docattle; and indeed so much did this nauseate their stomachs, that it notonly made them very sick, but more tractable to the common necessarybusiness of the whole society, planting, sowing, and reaping, with thegreatest signs of amity and friendship; so, that being now all goodfriends, we began to consider of circumstances in general; and the firstthing we thought of was, whether, as we perceived the savages hauntedthat side of the island, and there being more retired parts of it, andyet as well suited to our manner of living, and equally to ouradvantage, we ought not rather to move our place of residence, & plantit in a much safer place, both for the security of our corn and cattle.
"After a long debate on this head; it was resolved, or rather voted,_nemine comradicente_, not to remove our ancient castle, and that forthis very good reason, that some time or other we expected to hear fromour supreme governor, (meaning you, Sir) whose messengers not finding usthere, might think the place demolished, and all his subjects destroyedby the savages.
"As to the next concern relating to our corn and cattle, we consented tohave them removed to the valley where the cave was, that being mostproper and sufficient for both. But yet when we considered farther, wealtered one part of our resolution, which was to remove part of ourcattle thither and plant only part of our corn there; so that in caseone part was destroyed, the other might be preserved. Another resolutionwe took, which really had a great deal of prudence in it; and that was,in not trusting the three savages whom we had taken prisoners, with anyknowledge of the plantations we had made in the valley, of what numberof cattle we had there, much less of the cave, wherein we kept severalarms, and two barrels of powder you left for us at your departure fromthis island. But though we could not change our habitation, we resolvedto make it more fortified and more secret. To this end, Sir, as youplanted trees at some distance before the entrance of your palace; sowe, imitating your example, planted and filled up the whole space ofground, even to the banks of the creek, nay, into the very ooze wherethe tide flowed, not leaving a place for landing; and among those I hadplanted, they had intermingled so many short ones, all of which growingwonderfully fast and thick, a little dog could scarcely find a passagethrough them. Nor was this sufficient, as we thought, for we did thesame to all the ground, on the right and left hand of us, even to thetop of the hill, without so much as leaving a passage for ourselves,except by the ladder; which being taken down, nothing but what hadwings or witchcraft could pretend to come near us. And indeed this wasexceedingly well-contrived, especially to serve that occasion for whichwe afterwards found it necessary.
"Thus we lived two years in a happy retirement, having, all this time,not one visit from the savages. Indeed one morning we had an alarm,which put us in some amazement; for a few of my Spaniards being out veryearly, perceived no less than twenty canoes, as it were coming on shore:upon which returning home, with great precipitation, they gave us thealarm, which obliged us to keep at home all that day and the next, goingout only in the night-time to make our observations; but, as good luckwould have it, they were upon another design, and did not land that timeupon the island.
"But now there happened another quarrel between the three wickedEnglishmen, and some of my Spaniards.--- The occasion was this: One ofthem being enraged at one of the savages, whom he had taken prisoner,for not being able to comprehend something which he was showing him,snatched up a hatchet in a great fury not to correct, but to kill him;yet missing his head gave him such a barbarous--cut in the shoulder,that he had like to have struck off his arm; at which one of mygood-natured Spaniards interposing between the Englishman and the savagebeseeched the former, not to murder the poor creature, but this kindnesshad like to have cost the Spaniard his life, for the Englishman, struckat him in the same manner; which he nimbly and wisely avoiding, returnedsuddenly upon him with his shovel, (being all at work about their cornland), and very fairly knocked the brutish creature down. Hereuponanother Englishman coming to his fellow's assistance, laid the goodSpaniard on the earth; when immediately two others coming to his reliefwere attacked by the third Englishman, armed with an old cutlass, whowounded them both. This uproar soon reached our ears, when we rushingout upon them, took the three Englishmen prisoners, and then our nextquestion was, what would be done to such mutinous, and impudent fellows,so furious, desperate, and idle, that they were mischievious to thehighest degree and consequently not safe for the society to let themlive among them.
"Now, Sir, as I was governor in your absence, so I also took theauthority of a judge, and, having them brought before me; I told them,that if they had been of my country, I would have hanged every mother'sson of them, but since it was an Englishman (meaning you, kind Sir,) towhom we were indebted for our preservation and deliverance, I would, ingratitude, use them with all possible mildness, but at the same timeleave them to the judgment of the other two Englishmen who, I hoped,forgetting their resentments, would deal impartially by them.'
"Hereupon one of his countrymen stood up: _Sir_, said he, _leave it notfor us, for you may be sensible we have reason to sentence them to thegallows: besides, Sir, this fellow, Will Atkins, and the two others,proposed to us, that we might murder you all in your sleep, which wecould not consent to: but knowing their inability, and your vigilance,we did not think fit to discover it before now._
"_How, Signor_, said I, _do you hear what is alledged against you? Whatcan you say to justify so horrid an action, as to murder us in coldblood?_ So far, Sir, was the wretch from denying it, that he swore,_damn him but he would do it still. But what have we done to you, SeignorAtkins_, said I, _or what will you gain by killing us? What shall we doto prevent you? Must we kill you, or you kill us? Why will you SeignorAtkins,_ said I, smiling, _put us to such an unhappy dilemma, such afatal necessity?_ But so great a rage did my scoffing and yet severejest put him into, that he was going to fly at me and undoubtedly hadattempted to kill me if he had been possessed of weapons, and had notbeen prevented by three Spaniards. This unparalleled and villainouscarriage, made us seriously consider what was to be done. The twoEnglishmen and the Spaniard, who had saved the poor Indian's life,mightily petitioned me to hang one of them, for an example to theothers, which should be him that had twice attempted to commit murderwith his hatchet, it being at that time thought impossible the poorslave should recover. But they could never gain my consent to put him todeath, for the reasons above mentioned, since it was an Englishman (evenyourself) who was my deliverer; and as merciful counsels are mostprevailing when earnestly pressed, so I got them to be of the sameopinion as to clemency. But to prevent them doing us any farther
mischief; we all agreed, that they should have no weapons, as sword,gun, powder, or shot, but be expelled from the society, to live as theypleased by themselves; that neither the two Englishmen, nor the rest ofthe Spaniards, should have conversation with them upon any accountwhatsoever; that they should be kept from coming within a certaindistance of our castle; and if they dared to offer us any violence,either by spoiling, burning, killing, or destroying any of the corn,plantings, buildings, fences, or cattle, belonging to the society, wewould shoot them as freely as we would do beasts of prey, in whatsoeverplaces we should find them.
"This sentence seemed very just to all but themselves; when, like amerciful judge, I called out to the two honest Englishmen, saying, _Youmust consider they ought not to be starved neither: and since it will besome time before they can raise corn and cattle of their own, let usgive them some corn to last them eight months, and for seed to sow, bywhich time they'll raise some for themselves; let us also bestow uponthem six milch goats, four he ones, and six kids, as well for theirpresent support, as for a further increase; with tools necessary fortheir work, as hatchets, an ax, saw, and other things convenient tobuild them huts:_ all which were agreed: but before they took them intopossession, I obliged them solemnly to swear, never to attempt any thingagainst us, or their countrymen for the future. Thus dismissing themfrom our society, They went away, sullen & refractory, as though neitherwilling to go nor stay; however seeing no remedy, they took whatprovision was given them, proposing to choose a convenient place wherethey might live by themselves.
"About five days after, they came to those limits appointed, in orderfor more victuals, and sent me word by one of my Spaniards, whom theycalled to, where they had pitched their tents; and marked themselves outan habitation and plantation, at the N.E. and most remote part of theisland. And, indeed, there they built themselves two very handsomecottages, resembling our little castle, being under the side of amountain, with some trees already growing on three sides of it; so thatplanting a few more, it would be obscured from sight, unlessparticularly sought for. When these huts were finished, we gave themsome dry goat-skins for bedding and covering; & upon their giving usfuller assurances of their good behaviour for the future, we gave themsome pease, barley, and rice for sowing and whatever tools wecould spare.
"Six months did they live in this separate condition, in which they gottheir first harvest in, the quantity of which was but small, becausethey had planted but little land; for, indeed, all their plantationsbeing to form, made it more difficult; especially as it was a thing outof their element; and when they were obliged to make their boards andpots, &c. they could make little or nothing of it. But the rainy seasoncoming on, put them into a greater perplexity for want of a cave to keeptheir corn dry, and prevent it from spoiling: and so much did thishumble them, that they begged of my Spaniards to help them, to which thegood-natured men readily consented, and in four days space, worked agreat hole in the side of the hill for them, large enough for theirpurpose, to secure their corn and other things from the rain, though notcomparable to ours, which had several additional appartments.
"But a new whim possessed these rogues about three quarters of a yearafter, which had like to have ruined us, and themselves too: for itseems, being tired and weary of this sort of living, which made themwork for themselves, without hopes of changing their condition, nothingwould serve them, but that they would make a voyage to the continent,and try if they could seize upon some of the savages, and bring themover as slaves, to do their drudgery, while they lived at easeand pleasure.
"Indeed the project was not so preposterous, if they had not gonefarther; but they neither did, nor proposed any thing, but what hadmischief in the design, or the event. One morning, these three fellowscame down to the limited station, and humbly desired to be admitted totalk with us, which we readily granted; they told us in short, that_being tired of their manner of living, and the labour of their hands insuch employments, not being sufficient to procure the necessaries oflife, they only desired one of the canoes we came over in, with somearms and ammunition for their defence, and they would seek theirfortunes abroad, and never trouble us any more._ To be sure we were gladenough to get rid of such wretched plagues; but yet honesty made usingenuously represent to them, by what we ourselves had suffered, thecertain destruction they were running into, either of being starved todeath or murdered by the savages. To this they very audaciously replied,_that they neither could nor would work: and consequently that theymight as well be starved abroad as at home: & neither had they any wivesor children to cry after them: nay, so intent were they upon theirvoyage, that if the Spaniards had not given them arms, so they had butthe canoe they would have gone without them._
"Though we could not well spare our fire arms, rather than they shouldgo like naked men, we let them have two muskets, a pistol, a cutlass,and three hatchets, which were thought very sufficient: we gave themalso goat's flesh, a great basket full of dried grapes, a pot of freshbutter, a young live kid, and a large canoe sufficient to carry twentymen. And thus, with a mast made of a long pole, and a sail of six largegoat-skins dried, having a fair breeze, and a flood-tide with them, theymerrily sailed away, the Spaniards calling after them, _Bon voyaje_, noman ever expecting to see them more.
"When they were gone, the Spaniards and Englishmen would often say toone another, _O how peaceably do we now live, since these turbulentfellows have left us!_ Nothing could be farther from their thoughts thanto behold their faces any more; and yet scarce two and twenty days hadpassed over their heads, but one of the Englishmen, being abroad aplanting, perceived at a distance, three men well armed, approachingtowards him. Away he flies with speed to our castle, and tells me andthe rest, that we were all undone, for that strangers were landed uponthe island, and who they were he could not tell; but added that theywere not savages but men habited, bearing arms. _Why then,_ said I, _wehave the less occasion to be concerned, since, if they were not Indians,they must be friends; for I am sure there is no Christian people uponearth, but what will do us good rather than harm._ But while we wereconsidering of the event, up came the three Englishmen, whose voices wequickly knew, and so all our admiration of that nature ceased at once.And our wonder was succeeded by another sort of inquiry, which was, whatcould be the occasion of their returning so quickly to the island, whenwe little expected, and much less desired their company? But as this wasbetter to be related by themselves, I ordered them to be brought in,when they gave me the following relation of their voyage.
"After two days sail, or something less, they reached land, where theyfound the people coming to give them another sort of reception than whatthey expected or desired; for, as the savages were armed with bows andarrows, they durst not venture on shore, but steered northward, six orseven hours, till they gained an opening, by which they plainlyperceived, that the land that appeared from this place, was not the mainland, but an island. At their entrance into the opening of the sea, theydiscovered another island, on the right hand northward, and several morelying to the westward; but being resolved to go on shore some where orother, they put over to one of the western islands. Here they found thenatives very courteous to them, giving them several roots and driedfish; nay, even their women too were as willing to supply them with whatthey could procure them to eat, bringing it a great way to them upontheir heads. Among these hospitable Indians they continued some days,inquiring by signs and tokens, what nations lay around them; and wereinformed, that there were, several fierce and terrible people livedevery way, accustomed to eat mankind; but for themselves they never usedsuch diet, except those that were taken in battle, and of them they madea solemn feast.
"The Englishmen inquired how long it was since they had a feast of thatkind? They answered, _about two moons ago_, pointing to the moon, andthen two fingers; that, _at this time, their king had two hundredprisoners, which were fattening up for the slaughter_. The Englishmenwere mighty desirous of seeing the prisoners, which the othersmistaking, thought that they wanted some
of them for their own food:upon which they beckoned to them, pointing to the rising, and then tothe setting of the sun; meaning, that by the time it appeared in theeast next morning, they would bring them some: and indeed they were asgood as their word; for by that time they brought eleven men & fivewomen, just as so many cows & oxen are brought to sea-port towns tovictual a ship. But as brutish as these Englishmen were, their stomachsturned at the sight. What to do in this case, they could not tell: torefuse the prisoner, would have been the highest affront offered to thesavage gentry; and to dispose of them, they knew not, in what manner;however, they resolved to accept them, and so gave them, in return, oneof their hatchets, an old key, a knife, and six or seven of theirbullets; things which, tho' they were wholly ignorant of, yet of seemedentirely contented with; & dragging the poor wretches into the boat,with their hands bound behind them, delivered them to the Englishmen.But this obliged them to put off as soon as they had these presents,lest the donors should have expected two or three of them to be killed,and to be invited to dinner the next day; and so taking leave with allpossible respect and thanks, though neither of them understood what theothers said, they sailed away back to the first island, and there seteight of the prisoners at liberty. In their voyage they endeavoured tocomfort, and have some conversation with the poor captives; but it wasimpossible to make them sensible of any thing; and nothing they couldsay or give, or do for them, could make them otherwise persuaded, butthat they were unbound only to be devoured: if they gave them any food,they thought it was only to fatten them for the slaughter; or looked atany one more particularly, the poor creature supposed itself to be the'first sacrifice'; and even when we brought them to our island, andbegan to use them with the greatest humanity and kindness, yet theyexpected every day that their new masters would devour them.
"And thus, Sir, did these three strange wanderers conclude theirunaccountable relation of their voyage, which was both amazing andentertaining. Hereupon, I asked them, where there new family was? Theytold me _they had put them into one of their huts, and they came to begsome victuals for them_. This, indeed, made us all long to see them; andtaking Friday's father with us, leaving only two at our castle, we camedown to behold these poor creatures.
"When we arrived at the hut, (they being bound again by the Englishmen,for fear of escaping) we found them stark naked, expecting their fataltragedy: there were three lusty men, well shaped, with straight and goodlimbs, between thirty and five and thirty years old; and five women, twoof them might be from thirty to forty, two more not above four andtwenty; and the last, a comely tall maiden of about seventeen. Indeed,all the women were very agreeable, both in proportion and features,except that they were tawny, which their modest behaviour, and othergraces, made amends for, when they afterwards came to be clothed.
"This naked appearance, together with their miserable circumstances, wasno very comfortable sight to my Spaniards, who, for their parts, I mayventure, Sir, without flattery, to say, are men of the best behaviour,calmest tempers, and sweetest nature, that can possibly be; for theyimmediately ordered Friday's father to see if he knew any of them, or ifhe understood what they could say. No sooner did the old Indian appear,but he looked at them with great seriousness; yet, as they were not ofhis nation, they were utter strangers to him, and none could understandhis speech or signs, but one woman. This was enough to answer thedesign, which was to assure them they would not be killed, being falleninto the hands of Christians, who abhorred such barbarity. When theywere fully satisfied of this, they expressed their joy by such strangegestures, and uncommon tones, as it is not possible for me to describe.But the woman their interpreter, was ordered next to enquire, whetherthey were content to be servants, and would work for the men who hadbrought them hither to save their lives? Hereupon, (being at this timeunbound) they fell a capering and dancing, one taking this thing uponher shoulders, and the other that, intimating, that they were willing todo any thing for them. But now, Sir, having women among us, and dreadingthat it might occasion some strife, if not blood, I asked the three men'what they would do, and how they intended to use these creatures,whether as servants or women?' One of them very pertly and readilyanswered, 'they would use them as both,' _Gentlemen_, said I _as you areyour own masters, I am not going to restrain you from that; butmethinks, for avoiding dissentions among you, I would only desire you toengage, that none of you will take more than one for a woman or wife,and that having taken this one, none else should presume to touch her;for though we have not yet a priestly authority to marry you, yet it isbut reasonable, that whoever thus takes a woman, should be obliged tomaintain her, since nobody has any thing to do with her_; and this,indeed, appeared so just to all present, that it was unanimously agreedto. The Englishmen then asked my Spaniards, 'whether they designed totake any of them? but they all answered, _No_; some declaring they hadalready wives in Spain; and others that they cared not to join withinfidels. On the reverse, the Englishmen took each of them a temporarywife, and so set up a new method of living. As to Friday's father, theSpaniards, and the three savage servants we had taken in the latebattle, they all lived with me in our ancient castle; and indeed wesupplied the main part of the island with food, as necessity required.But the most remarkable part of the story is, how these Englishmen, whohad been so much at variance, should agree about the choice of thosewomen; yet they took a way good enough to prevent quarreling amongthemselves. They let the five women in one of their huts, and goingthemselves to the other, drew lots which should have the first choice.Now, he that had the first lot went to the hut, and fetched out her hechose; and it is remarkable, that he took her that was the most homelyand eldest of the number, which made the rest of the Englishmenexceedingly merry; the Spaniards themselves could not help but smile atit; but as it happened, the fellow had the best thought, in choosingone fit for application and business; and indeed she proved the bestwife of all the parcel.
"But when the poor creatures perceived themselves placed in a row, andseparated one by one, they were again seized with an unspeakable terror,as now thinking they were going to be slain in earnest; and when theEnglishmen came to take the first, the rest set up a lamentable cry,clasped their arms around her neck, and hanging about her, took theirlast farewell, as they thought, in such trembling agonies, andaffectionate embraces, as would have softened the hardest heart in theworld, and made the driest eyes melt into tears; nor could they bepersuaded but that they were going to die, till such time as Friday'sfather made them sensible that the Englishmen had chosen them for theirwives, which ended all their terror and concern upon this occasion.
"Well, after this, the Englishmen went to work, and being assisted by mygood natured Spaniards, in a few hours they, erected every one of them anew hut or tent for their separate lodging, since those they had alreadywere, filled with tools, household stuff, and provision. They allcontinued on the north shore of the island, but separate as before; thethree wicked ones pitching farther off, and the two honest men nearerour castle; so that the island seemed to be peopled in three places,three towns beginning to be built for that purpose. And here I cannotbut remark, what is very common, that the two honest men had the worstwives, (I mean as to industry, cleanliness, and ingenuity) while thethree reprobates enjoyed women of quite contrary qualities.
"But another observation I made was, in favour of the two honest men, toshow what disparity there is between a diligent application to business,on the one hand, and a slothful negligent, and idle temper, on theother. Both of them had the same parcel of ground laid out, and corn tosow, sufficient either in their cultivation or their planting. The twohonest men had a multitude of young trees planted about theirhabitations, so that when you approached near them, nothing appeared buta wood, very pleasing and delightful. Every thing they did prospered andflourished: their grapes, planted in order, seemed as though managed ina vineyard and were infinitely preferable to any of the others. Nor werethey wanting to find out a place of retreat, but dug a cave in the mostretired part of a thick wood
, to secure their wives and children, withtheir provision and chiefest goods, surrounded with innumerable stakes,and having a most subtle entrance, in case any mischief should happeneither from their fellow countrymen, or the devouring savages.
"As to the reprobates, (though I must own they were much more civilizedthan before) instead of delightful wood surrounding their dwellings, wefound the words of King Solomon too truly verified: _I went by thevineyard of the slothful, and it was all overgrown with thorns_. In manyplaces their crop was obliterated by weeds: the hedges having severalgaps in them, the wild goats had got in, and eaten up the corn, and hereand there was a dead bush to stop these gaps for the present, which wasno more than shutting the stable door after the steed was stolen away.But as to their wives, they (as I observed before) were more diligent,and cleanly enough, especially in their victuals, being instructed byone of the honest men, who had been a cook's mate on board a ship: &very well it was so, for as he cooked himself, his companion and theirfamilies lived as well as the idle husbands, who did nothing but loiterabout, fetch turtle's eggs, catch fish and birds, and do any thing butwork, and lived accordingly; while the diligent lived very handsomelyand plentifully, in the most comfortable manner.
"And now, Sir, I come to lay before your eyes a scene quite differentfrom any thing that ever happened to us before, and perhaps ever befelyou in all the time of your residence on this island. I shall inform youof its original in the following manner.
"One morning, Sir, very early, there came five or six canoes of Indianson shore, indisputably upon their old custom of devouring theirprisoners. All that we had to do upon such an occasion, was to lieconcealed, that they, not having any notice of inhabitants, might departquietly after performing their bloody execution: whoever firstdiscovered the savages, was to give notice to all the three plantationsto keep within doors, and then a proper scout was to be placed to giveintelligence of their departure. But notwithstanding these wisemeasures, an unhappy disaster discovered us to the savages, which waslike to have caused the desolation of the whole island; for, after thesavages were gone off in their canoes, some of my Spaniards and Ilooking abroad; and being inflamed with a curiosity to see what they hadbeen doing, to our great amazement beheld three savages fast asleep onthe ground, who, either being gorged, could not awake when the otherswent off, or having wandered too far into the woods, did not comeback in time.
"What to do with them as first, we could not tell; as for slaves we hadenough of them already; and as to killing them, neither Christianity orhumanity would suffer us to shed the blood of persons who never did uswrong. We perceived they had no boat left them to transport them totheir own nation; and that, by letting them wander about, they mightdiscover us, and inform the first savages that should happen to landupon the same bloody occasion, which information might entirely ruin us;and therefore I counselled my Spaniards to secure them, and set themabout some work or other, till we could better dispose of them.
"Hereupon we all went back, and making them awake, took them prisoners.It is impossible to express the horror they were in, especially whenbound, as thinking they were going to be murdered and eaten, but we sooneased them of their fear as to that point. We first took them to thebower, where the chief of our country work lay as keeping goats,planting corn, &c and then carried them to the two Englishmen'shabitation, to help them in their business; but happy it was for us allwe did not carry them to our castle, as by the sequel will appear. TheEnglishmen, indeed, found them work to do; but whether they did notguard them strictly, or that they thought they could not betterthemselves, I cannot tell; but certainly one of them ran away into thewoods, and they could not hear of him for a long time after.
"Undoubtedly there was reason enough to suppose he got home in some ofthe canoes, the savages returning in about four weeks time, and goingoff in the space of two days. You may be certain, Sir, this thoughtcould not but terrify us exceedingly, and make us justly conclude, thatthe savage would inform his countrymen of our abode in the island, howfew and weak we were in comparison to their numbers & we expected itwould not be long before the Englishmen would be attacked in theirhabitations; but the savages had not seen their places of safety in thewoods, nor our castle, which it was a great happiness they did not know.
"Nor were we mistaken in our thoughts upon this occasion: for, abouteight months after this, six canoes, with about ten men in each canoe,came sailing by the north side of the island, which they were neveraccustomed to do before, and landed about an hour after sunrise, near amile from the dwelling of the two Englishman, who, it seems, had thegood fortune to discover them about a league off: to that it was an hourbefore they could come at them. And now being confirmed in this opinionthat they were certainly betrayed, they immediately bound the two slaveswhich were left, causing two of the three men, whom they brought withthe women, and who proved very faithful to lead them with their wives,and other conveniences, into their retired care in the wood, and thereto bind the two fellows hand and foot till they had further orders. Theythen opened their fences, where they kept their milch goats, and drovethem all out, giving the goats liberty to ramble in the woods, to makethe savages believe that they were wild ones; but the slave had given atruer information, which made them come to the very inclosures. The twofrighted men sent the other slave of the three, who had been with themby accident, to alarm the Spaniards, and desire their assistance; inthe mean time they took their arms and ammunition, and made to the cavewhere they had sent their wives, and securing their slaves, seatedthemselves in a private place, from whence they might behold all theactions of the savages. Nor had they gone far, when ascending a risingground, they could see a little army of Indians approach to theirbeautiful dwelling, and in a few moments more, perceive the same, andtheir furniture, to their unspeakable grief, burning in a consumingflame, and when this war done, they spread here and there, searchingevery bush and place for the people, of whom it was very evident, theyhad information. Upon which the two Englishmen, not thinking themselvessecure where they stood, retreated about half a mile higher in thecountry, rightly concluding, that the farther the savages strolled,there would be less numbers together: upon which they next took theirstand by the trunk of an old tree, very hollow and large, whence theyresolved to see what would offer: but they had not stood long there,before two savages came running directly towards them, as though havingknowledge of their being there, who seemed resolved to attack them; alittle farther were three more, and five more behind them again, allrunning the same way. It cannot be imagined the perplexity the poor menwere in at this sight, thinking that if assistance did not speedily cometheir cave in the wood would be discovered, and consequently all thereinlost; so they resolved to resist them there, and, when overpowered, toascend to the top of the trees, where they might defend themselves aslong as their ammunition lasted, and sell their lives as dear aspossible to those devouring savages. Thus fixed in their resolution,they next considered, whether they should fire at the first two, or waitfor the three, and so take the middle party, by which the two first &the five last would be separated. In this regulation the two savagesalso confirmed them, by turning a little to another part of the wood:but the three, & the five after them, came directly towards the tree.Hereupon they resolved to take them in a direct line, as they approachednearer, because perhaps the first shot might hit them all three; andupon this occasion, the man who was to fire, charged his piece withthree or four bullets. And thus while they were waiting, the savagescame on, one of them was the runaway, who had caused all the mischief;so they resolved he should not escape, if they both fired at once. But,however, though they did not fire together, they were ready charged;when the first that let fly, was too good a marksman to miss his aim;for he killed the foremost outright, the second (_who was the runawayIndian_) fell to the ground, being shot through the body, but not deadand the third was a little wounded in the shoulder, who, sitting down onthe ground, fell a screaming in a most fearful manner. The noise of theguns, which not only made th
e most resounding echoes, from one side tothe other, but raised the birds of all sorts, fluttering with the mostconfused noise, so much terrified the five savages behind that theystood still at first, like so many inanimate images. But when all thingswere in profound silence, they came to the place where there companionslay; and here, not being sensible that they were liable to the samefate, stood over the wounded man, undoubtedly inquiring the occasion ofthis sad calamity; and 'tis as reasonable to suppose he told them, thatit came by thunder and lightning from the gods, having never seen orheard of a gun before, in the whole course of their lives. By this timethe Englishmen, having loaded their pieces, fired both together a secondtime, when seeing them all fall immediately on the ground, they thoughtthey had killed every creature of them. This made them come up boldlybefore they had charged their guns, which indeed was a wrong step; for,when they came to the place, they found four alive, two of them verylittle wounded, and one not at all, which obliged them to fall upon themwith their muskets: they first knocked the runaway savage on the head,and another that was but a little wounded in the arm, & then put theother languishing wretches out of their pain: while he that was nothurt, with bended knees and uplifted hands, made piteous moans, andsigns to them to spare his life; nor, indeed, were they unmerciful tothe poor wretch, but pointed to him to sit down at the root of a treehard by; and then, one of the Englishmen, with a piece of rope twine hehad in his pocket, by mere chance, tying his two feet fast together, andhis two hands behind him, they left him there, making all the haste theycould after the other two, fearing they should find out their cave; butthough they could not overtake them, they had the satisfaction toperceive them at a distance, cross a valley towards the sea, a quitecontrary way to their retreat: upon which they returned to the tree, tolook after their prisoner; but when they came there, he was gone,leaving the piece of rope-yarn, wherewith he was bound, behind him.
"Well, now they were as much concerned as ever, as not knowing how neartheir enemies might be, or in what numbers. Immediately they repaired tothe cave, to see if all was well there, and found every thing safe,except the women, who were frightened upon their husbands account, whomthey now loved entirely. They had not been long here, before seven of mySpaniards came to assist them; while the other ten, their servants, andFriday's father, were gone to defend their bower, corn, and cattle, incase the savages should have rambled so far. There accompanied the sevenSpaniards, one of the three savages that had formerly been takenprisoner; and with them also that very Indian whom the Englishmen had,a little before, left under the tree; for it seems, they passed by thatway where the slaughter was made, and so carried along with them thatpoor wretch that was left bound. But so many prisoners now becoming aburthen to us, and fearing the dreadful consequence of their escaping,most of the Spaniards and English urged the absolute necessity there wasof killing them for our common preservation; but, Sir, the authority Ibore, as a governor, over-ruled that piece of cruelty; and then Iordered them to be sent prisoners to the old cave in the valley, boundhands and feet, with two Spaniards to guard them.
"So much encouraged were the Englishmen at the approach of theSpaniards, and so great was their fury against the savages fordestroying their habitations, that they had not patience to stay anylonger; but, taking five Spaniards along with them, armed with fourmuskets, a pistol, and a quarter staff, away they went in pursuit oftheir enemies. As they passed by the place where the savages were slain,it was very easy to be perceived that more of them had been there,having attempted to carry off their dead bodies, but found itimpracticable. From a rising ground our party had the mortification tosee the smoke that proceeded from their ruins; when coming farther inflight of the shore, they plainly perceived that the savages hadembarked in their canoes, and were putting out to sea. This they werevery sorry for, there being no coming at them to give them a partingsalute, but however, they were glad enough to get clear of suchunwelcome guests.
"Thus the two honest, but unfortunate Englishmen, being ruined a secondtime, and their improvements quite destroyed, most of my good naturedSpaniards helped them to rebuild, and we all assisted them with needfulsupplies; nay, what is more remarkable, their three mischievouscountrymen, when they heard of it _(which was after all these disasterswere over, they living more remote eastward)_ very friendly sympathisedwith them, and worked for them several days; so that, in a little, theirhabitations were rebuilt, their necessities supplied, and themselvesrestored to their former tranquility.
"Though the savages had nothing to boast of in this adventure, _(severalcanoes being driven ashore, followed by two drowned creatures, havingundoubtedly met with a storm at sea that very night they departed)_ yetit was natural to be supposed, that those whose better fortune it was toattain their native shore, would inflame their nation to another ruinousattempt, with a greater force, to carry all before them. And, indeed, soit happened: for about seven months after, our island was invaded with amost formidable navy, no less than eight and twenty canoes full ofsavages, armed with wooden swords, monstrous clubs, bows and arrows, andsuch like instruments of war, landing at the east end of the island.
"You may well, Sir, imagine what consternation our men were in uponthis account, and how speedy they were to execute their resolution,having only that night's time allowed them. They knew that since theycould not withstand their enemies, concealment was the only way toprocure their safety; and, therefore, they took down the huts that werebuilt for the two Englishmen, and drove their flocks of goats togetherwith their own at the bower, to the old cave in the valley, leaving aslittle appearance of inhabitants as possible; and then postedthemselves, with all their force, at the plantation of the two men. Asthey expected, so it happened: for early the next morning, the Indians,leaving their canoes at the east-end of the island, came running alongthe shore, about two hundred and fifty in number, as near as could beguessed. Our army was but little indeed; and what was our greatestmisfortune, we had not arms sufficient for them. The account, as to themen, Sir, is an follows: viz. 17 _Spaniards_, 5 _Englishmen, Old Friday,the three savages, taken with the five women, who proved faithfulservants, and three other slaves, living with the Spaniards. To armthese they had_ 11 _muskets_, 5 _pistols_, 3 _fowling-pieces_, 2_swords_, 3 _old halberts_, 5 _muskets, or fowling-pieces, taken fromthe sailors whom you reduced. As to the slaves, we gave three of themhalberts, and the other three long staves, with great iron spikes at theend of them, with hatchets by their sides; we also had hatchets stickingin our girdles, besides the fire-arms: nay, two of the women, inspiredwith Amazonian fortitude, could not be dissuaded from fighting alongwith their dear husbands, and if they died, to die with them, Seeingtheir resolution, we gave them hatchets likewise; but what pleased thembest, were the bows and arrows (which they dexterously knew how to use)that the Indians had left behind them, after their memorable battle oneagainst another_.
"Over this army, which though little, was of great intrepidity, I wasconstituted chief general and commander: and knowing Will Atkins, thoughexceedingly wicked, yet a man of invincible courage, I gave him thepower of commanding under me: he had six men with their muskets loadedwith six or seven bullets a-piece, and were planted just behind a smallthicket of bushes, as an advanced guard, having orders to let the firstpass by; and then, when he fired into the middle of them, making animble retreat round a part of the wood, and so come in the rear of theSpaniards, who were shaded by a thicket of trees: for though the savagescame on with the fierceness of lions, yet they wanted the subtility offoxes, being out of all manner of order, and straggling in heaps everyway: and, indeed, when Will Atkins, after fifty of the savages hadpassed by, had ordered three of his men to give fire, so great was theirconsternation, to see so many men killed and wounded, and hear such adreadful noise, and yet knew not whence it came, that they werefrightened to the highest degree: and when the second volley was given,they concluded no less but that their companions were slain by thunderand lightning from Heaven. In this notion they would have continued, hadWill Atki
ns and his men retired, as soon as they fired, according toorder: or had the rest been near them, to pour in their shotcontinually, their might have been a complete victory obtained: butstaying to load their pieces again, discovered the whole matter. Theywere perceived by some of the scattering savages at a distance, who letfly their arrows among them, wounded Atkins himself, and killed hisfellow Englishman, and one of the Indians taken with the women. Ourparty did not fail to answer them, and in their retreat killed abouttwenty savages. Here I cannot but take notice of our poor dying slave,who, tho' stopt from his retreat by a fatal arrow, yet with his staffand hatchet, desperately and gallantly assailed his pursuers, and killedfive of the savages, before his life submitted to a multiplicity ofwounds. Nor is the cruelty or malice of the Indians to be less remarked,in breaking the arms, legs, and heads of the two dead bodies, with theirclubs and wooden swords, after a most wretched manner. As Atkinsretreated our party advanced, to interpose between him and the savages:but after three vollies, we were obliged to retreat also: for they wereso numerous and desperate, that they came up to our very teeth, shottheir arrows like a cloud, and their wounded men, enraged with cruelpain, fought like madmen. They did not, however, think fit to follow us,but drawing themselves up in a circle, they gave two triumphant shoutsin token of victory, though they had the grief to see several of theirwounded men bleed to death before them.
"After I had, Sir, drawn up our little army together, upon a risingground, Atkins, wounded as he was, would have had us attack the wholebody of the savages at once, I was extremely well pleased with thegallantry of the man: but, upon consideration, I replied, _You perceive,Seignor Atkins, how their wounded men fight; let them alone tillmorning, when they will be faint, stiff, and sore, and then we shallhave fewer to combat with_. To which Atkins, smiling, replied, _That'svery true, Seignor, so shall I too; and that's the reason I would fightthem now I am warm_. We all answered, _Seignor Atkins for your part youhave behaved very gallantly; and, if you are not able to approach theenemy in the morning, we will fight for you, till then we think itconvenient to wait_, and so we tarried.
"By the brightness of the moon that night, we perceived the savages ingreat disorder about their dead and wounded men. This made us change ourresolution, and resolve to fall upon them in the night, if we couldgive them one volley undiscovered. This we had a fair opportunity to do,by one of the two Englishmen leading us round, between the woods and thesea-side westward, and turning short south, came privately to a placewhere the thickest of them were. Unheard and unperceived, eight of usfired among them, and did dreadful execution; and in half a minuteafter, eight more of us let fly, killing and wounding abundance of them;and then dividing ourselves into three bodies, eight persons in eachbody we marched from among the trees, to the very teeth of the enemy,sending forth the greatest shouts and acclamations. The savages hearinga different noise from three quarters at once, stood in the utmostconfusion; but coming in sight of us, let fly a volley of arrows, whichwounded poor old Friday, yet happily it did not prove mortal. We didnot, however, give them a second opportunity; but rushing in among them,we fired three several ways, and then fell to work with our swords,staves, hatchets, and the butt-end of our muskets, with a fury not to beresisted; so that with the most dismal screaming and howling they hadrecourse to their feet, to save their lives by a speedy flight. Nor mustwe forget the valour of the two women; for they exposed themselves tothe greatest dangers, killed many with their arrows, and valiantlydestroyed several more with their hatchets.
"In fighting these two battles, we were so much tired, that we did notthen trouble ourselves to pursue them to their canoes, in which wethought they would presently put to the ocean; but their happening adreadful storm at sea, which continuing all that night, it not onlyprevented their voyage, but dashed several of their boats to piecesagainst the beach, and drove the rest so high upon the shore, that itrequired infinite labour to get them off. After our men had taken somerefreshment and a little repose, they resolved early in the morning togo towards the place of their landing, and see whether they were goneoff, or in what posture they remained. This necessarily led them to theplace of battle, where several of the savages were expiring, a sight noway pleasing to generous minds, to delight in misery, though obliged toconquer them by the law of arms; but our own Indian slaves put them outof their pain, by dispatching them with their hatchets. At length,coming in view of the remainder of the army, we found them leaning upontheir knees, which were bended towards their mouth, and the head betweenthe two hands. Hereupon, coming within musket shot of them, I orderedtwo pieces to be fired without ball, in order to alarm them, that wemight plainly know, whether they had the courage to venture anotherbattle, or were utterly dispirited from such an attempt, that so wemight accordingly manage them. And indeed, the prospect took very well;for, no sooner did the savages hear the first gun, and perceive theflash of the second, but they suddenly started upon their feet in thegreatest consternation; and when we approached towards them, they ranhowling and screaming away up the hill into the country.
"We could rather, at first, have wished, that the weather had permittedthem to have gone off to the sea; but when we considered, that theirescape might occasion the approach of multitudes, to our utter ruin anddissolution; we were very well pleased the contrary happened; and WillAtkins (who, tho' wounded, would not part from us all this while)advised us not to let slip this advantage, but clapping between them andtheir boats, deprive them of the capacity of ever returning to plaguethe island: _I know_, said he, _there is but on objection you can make,which is, that these creatures, living like beasts in the wood, may makeexcursions, rifle the plantations, and destroy the tame goats; but then,consider, we had better to do with an hundred men whom we can kill, ormake slaves of at leisure, than with an hundred nations, whom it isimpossible we should save ourselves from, much less subdue_. Thisadvice, and these arguments being approved of, we set fire to theirboats; and though they were so wet that we could not burn them entirely,yet we made them incapable for swimming in the seas. As soon as theIndians perceived what we were doing, many of them ran out of the woods,in fight of us, and kneeling down, piteously cried out, _Oa, Oa!Waramakoa_. Intimating, I suppose, that, if we would but spare theircanoes, they would never trouble us again.
"But all their complaints, submissions, and entreaties, were in vain;for self-preservation obliging us to the contrary, we destroyed everyone of them that had escaped the fury of the ocean. When the Indiansperceived this, they raised a lamentable cry, and ran into the woods,where they continued ranging about; making the woods ring with theirlamentation. Here we should have considered, that making thesecreatures, thus desperate, we ought, at the same time to have set asufficient guard upon the plantations: for the savages, in their rangingabout, found out the bower, destroyed the fences, trod the corn downunder their feet, and tore up the vines and grapes. It is true, we werealways able to fight these creatures; but, as they were too swift forus, and very numerous, we durst not go out single, for fear of them;though that too was needless, they having no weapons, nor any materialsto make them; and, indeed, their extremity appeared in a littletime after.
[ILLUSTRATION: The Spaniard, &c. burning the Indian canoes. _Dr. & Eng.by A. Carse, Edin._]
"Though the savages, as already mentioned, had destroyed our bower, andall our corns, grapes, &c. yet we had still left our flock of cattle inthe valley, by the cave, with some little corn that grew there, and theplantation of Will Atkins and his companions, one of whom being killedby an arrow, they were now reduced to two: it is remarkable that thiswas the fellow who cut the poor Indian with his hatchet, and had designto murder me and my countrymen the Spaniards. As our condition was low,we came to the resolution to drive the savages up to the farther part ofthe island, where no Indians landed, to kill as many of them as wecould, till we had reduced their number; and then to give the remaindersome corn to plant, and to teach them how to live by their daily labour,accordingly we pursued them with our guns, at the heari
ng of which theywere so terrified, that they would fall to the ground. Every day wekilled and wounded some of them, and many were found starved to death,so that our hearts began to relent at the sight of such miserableobjects. At last, with great difficulty, taking one of them alive, andusing him with kindness, & tenderness, we brought him to Old Friday, whotalked to him, & told him how good we would be to them all, giving themcorn and land to plant and live in, and present nourishment, providedthey should keep within such bounds as should be allotted them, and notdo prejudice to others: _Go then_, said he, _and inform your countrymenof this; which, if they will not agree to, every one of them shallbe slain_.
"The poor creatures, thoroughly humbled, being reduced to aboutthirty-seven, joyfully accepted the offer, and earnestly begged forfood; hereupon we sent twelve Spaniards and two Englishmen well armed,together with Old Friday, and three Indian slaves were loaded with alarge quantity of bread and rice cakes, with three live goats: and thepoor Indians being ordered to sit down on the side of the hill, they atethe victuals very thankfully, and have proved faithful to the last,never trespassing beyond their bounds, where at this day they quietlyand happily remain, and where we now and then visit them. They areconfined to a neck of land about a mile and a half broad, and three orfour in length, on the south-east corner of the island, the sea beingbefore, and lofty mountains behind them, free from the appearance ofcanoes; and indeed their countrymen never made any inquiry after them.We gave them twelve hatchets, and three or four knives; have taught themto build huts, make wooden spades, plant corn, make bread, breed tamegoats and milk them, as likewise to make wicker work, in which I mustingenuously confess, they infinitely out do us, having made themselvesseveral pretty necessaries and fancies, as baskets, sieves, bird-cages,and cupboards, as also stools, beds and couches, no less useful thandelightful; and now they live the most innocent and inoffensivecreatures that ever were subdued in the world, wanting nothing but wivesto make them a nation.
"Thus, kind Sir, have I given you, according to my ability, animpartial account of the various transactions that have happened, in theisland since your departure to this day; and we have great reason toacknowledge the kind providence of Heaven in our merciful deliverance.When you inspect your little kingdom, you will find in it some littleimprovement, your flocks increased, and your subjects augmented, so thatfrom a desolate island, as this was before your wonderful deliveranceupon it, here is a visible prospect of its becoming a populous and wellgoverned little kingdom, to your immortal fame and glory."
There is no doubt to suppose but that the preceeding relation of myfaithful Spaniard was very agreeable and no less surprising to me, tothe young priest, and to all who heard it: now were these people lesspleased with those necessary utensils that I brought them, such as theknives, scissars, spades, shovels, and pick-axes, with which they nowadorn their habitations.
So much had they addicted themselves to wicker-work, prompted by theingenuity of the Indians, who assisted them, that when I viewed theEnglishmen's colonies, they seemed at a distance as though they hadlived like bees in a hive: for Will Atkins, who was now become a veryindustrious and sober man, had made himself a tent of basket-work roundthe outside; the walls were worked in as a basket, in pannels or strongsquares of thirty-two in number, standing about seven feet high: in themiddle was another, not above twenty-two paces round, but much strongerbuilt, being of an octagonal form, and in the eight corners stood eightstrong poles, round the top of which he raised a pyramid for the roof,mighty pretty, I assure you, and joined very well together, with ironspikes, which he made himself; for he had made him a forge, with a pairof wooden bellows and charcoal for his work, forming an anvil cut of oneof the iron crows, to work upon, and in the manner would he make himselfhooks, staples, spikes, bolts, and hinges. After he had pitched the roofof his innermost tent, he made it so firm between the rafters withbasket-work, thatching that over again with rice-straw, and over that alarge leaf of a tree, that his house was as dry as if it had been tiledor slated. The outer circuit was covered as a lean-to, quite round thisinner appartment, laying long rafters from the thirty-two angles to thetop posts of the inner house, about twenty-feet distant, so that therewas a space like a wall between the outer and inner wall, near twentyfeet in breadth. The inner place he partitioned off with the samewicker-work, dividing it into six neat apartments every one of which hada door, first into the entry of the main tent, and another into thespace and walk that was round it, not only convenient for retreat, butfor family necessaries. Within the door of the outer circle, there wasa passage directly to the door of the inner house; on either side was awicker partition, and a door, by which you go into a room twenty-twofeet wide, and about thirty long, and through that into another of asmaller length; so that in the outer circle were ten handsome rooms, sixof which were only to be come at through the apartments of the innertent, serving as retiring rooms to the respective chambers of the innercircle, and four large warehouses, which went in through one another,two on either hand of the passage that led through the outer door to theinner tent. In short, nothing could be built more ingeniously, kept moreneat, or have better conveniences; and here lived the three families,Will Atkins, his companion, their wives and children, and the widow ofthe deceased. As to religion, the men seldom taught their wives theknowledge of God, any more than the sailors' custom of swearing by hisname. The greatest improvement their wives had, was, they taught them tospeak English, so as to be understood.
None of their children were then above six years old; they were allfruitful enough; and I think the cook's mate's wife was big of hersixth child.
When I inquired of the Spaniards about their circumstances while amongthe savages, they told me, _that they abandoned themselves to despair,reckoning themselves a poor and miserable people, that had no means putinto their hands, and consequently must soon be starved to death._ Theyowned, however, that they were in the wrong to think so, and forrefusing the assistance that reason offered for their support, as wellas future deliverance, confessing that grief was a most insignificantpassion, as it looked upon things as without remedy, and having no hopeof things to come; all which verified this noted proverb,
_In trouble to be troubled,Is to have your trouble doubled._
Nor did his remarks end here, for, making observations upon myimprovement, and on my condition at first, infinitely worse than theirs,he told me that Englishmen had, in their distress, greater presence ofmind than those of any other country that he had met with; and that theyand the Portuguese were the worst men in the world to struggle undermisfortunes. When they landed among the savages, they found but littleprovision except they would turn cannibals, there being but a few rootsand herbs, with little substance in them, and of which the natives gavethem but very sparingly. Many were the ways they took to civilize andteach the savages, but in vain; for they would not own them to be theirinstructors, whose lives were owing to their bounty. Their extremitieswere very great and many days being entirely without food, the savagesthere being more indolent and less devouring than those who had bettersupplies. When they went out to battle they were obliged to assist thesepeople, in one of which my faithful Spaniard being taken, had like tohave been devoured. They had lost their ammunition, which rendered theirfire-arms useless; nor could they use the bows and arrows that weregiven them, so that while the armies were at a distance, they had nochance but when close, then they could be of service with halberts, &sharpened sticks put into the muzzles of their muskets. They madethemselves targets of wood covered with the skins of wild beasts; andwhen one happened to be knocked down, the rest of the company foughtover him till he recovered; and then standing close in a line, theywould make their way through a thousand savages. At the return of theirfriend, who they thought had been entombed in the bowels of theirenemies, their joy was inconceivable. Nor were they less surprised atthe sight of the loaves of bread I had sent them, things that they hadnot seen for several years, at the same time crossing and blessing it,as though it was mann
a sent from Heaven: but when they knew the errand,and perceived the boat which was to carry them back to the person andplace from whence such relief came, this struck them with such asurprise of joy as made some of them faint away, and others burst outinto tears.
This was the summary account that I had from them. I shall now informthe reader what I next did for them, and in what condition I left them.As we were all of opinion that the savages would scarce trouble them anymore, so we had no apprehensions on the score. I told them I was comepurely to establish, and not to remove them; and upon that occasion, hadnot only brought them necessaries for convenience and defence, but alsoartificers, and other persons, both for their necessary employments, andto add to their number. They were altogether when I thus talked to them;and before I delivered to them the stores I brought, I asked them, oneby one, if they had entirely forgot their first animosities, wouldengage in the strictest friendship; and shake hands with one another? Onthis Will Atkins, with abundance of good humour, said, _they hadafflictions enough to make them all sober, and enemies enough to makethem all friends: as for himself, he would live and die among them,owning that what the Spaniards had done to him, his own mad humour hadmade necessary for them to do_. Nor had the Spaniards occasion tojustify their proceeding to me; but they told me, _that since WillAtkins had behaved himself so valiantly in fight, and at other timesshowed such a regard to the common interest of them all, they had notonly forgotten all that was past, but thought he ought as much to betrusted with arms and necessaries as any of them, which they testifiedby making him next in command to the governor: and they most heartilyembraced the occasion of giving me this solemn assurance, that theywould never separate their interest again, as long as they lived_.
After these kind declarations of friendship, we appointed all of us todine together the next day; upon this I caused the ship's cook and hismate to come on shore for that purpose, to assist in dressing ourdinner. We brought from the ship six pieces of beef, and four of pork,together with our punch bowl, and materials to fill it; and inparticular I gave them ten bottles of French claret, and ten of Englishbeer, which was very acceptable to them. The Spaniards added to ourfeast, five whose kids, which being roasted, three of them were sent asfresh meat to the sailors on board, and the other two we ate ourselves.After our merry and innocent feast was over, I began to distribute mycargo among them. First, I gave them linen sufficient to make every onefour shirts, and at the Spaniard's request made them up six. The thinEnglish stuffs I allotted to make every one a light coat like a frock,agreeable to the climate, and left them such a quantity as to make moreupon their decay; as also pumps, shoes, hats, and stockings. It is notto be expressed the pleasing satisfaction which sat upon thecountenances of these poor men, when they perceived what care I took ofthem, as if I had been a common father to them all; and they all engagednever to leave the island, till I gave my consent for their departure. Ithen presented to them the people I brought, viz. the tailor, smith, andthe two carpenters; but my Jack-of-all-trades was the most acceptablepresent I could make them. My tailor fell immediately to work, and madeevery one of them a shirt; after which, he learned the women how to sewand stitch, thereby to become the more helpful to their husbands.Neither were the carpenters less useful, taking in pieces their clumsythings; instead of which they made convenient and handsome tables,stools, bedsteads, cupboards, lockers, and shelves. But when I carriedthem to see Will Atkins's basket-house, they owned they never saw such apiece of natural ingenuity before: _I am sure,_ said one of thecarpenters, _the man that built this has no need of us; you need, Sir,do nothing but give him tools._
I divided the tools among them in this manner: to every man I gave adigging spade, a shovel, and a rake, as having no harrows or ploughs;and to every separate place a pickax, a crow, a broad ax, and a saw,with a store for a general supply, should any be broken or worn out. Ileft them also nails, staples, hinges, hammers, chisels, knives,scissors, and all sorts of tools and iron work; & for the use of thesmith, gave them three tons of unwrought iron, for a supply; and as toarms and ammunition, I stored them even to profusion; or at least toequip a sufficient little army against all opposers whatsoever.
The young man (whose mother was unfortunately starved to death) togetherwith the maid, a pious and well educated young woman, seeing things sowell ordered on shore (for I made them accompany me) and consideringthey had no occasion to go so far a voyage as to the East Indies, theyboth desired of me, that I would leave them there, and enter them amongmy subjects. This I readily agreed to, ordering them a plat of ground,on which were three little houses erected, environed with basket-work,pallisadoed like Atkins's and adjoining to his plantation. So contrivedwere their tents that each of them had a room apart to lodge in, whilethe middle tent was not only their store-house, but their place foreating and drinking. At this time the two Englishmen removed theirhabitation to their former place; in that now the island was dividedinto three colonies: first, Those I have just now mentioned; secondlyThat of Will Atkins, where there were four families of Englishmen, withtheir wives and children, the widow and her children; the young man andthe maid, who, by the way, we made a wife of before our departure; threesavages, who were slaves; the tailor, smith, (who served also as agunsmith) and my other celebrated person called Jack-of-all-trades.Thirdly, my chief colony, which consisted of the Spaniards, with OldFriday, who still remained at my old habitation, which was my capitalcity, and surely never was there such a metropolis, it now being hid inso obscure a grove, that a thousand men might have ranged the island amonth, and looked purposely for it, without being able to find it,though the Spaniards had enlarged its boundaries, both without andwithin, in a most surprising manner.
But now I think it high time to speak of the young French priest of theorder of St. Benedict, whose judicious and pious discourses, upon sundryoccasions, merit an extraordinary observation; nor can his being aFrench Papist priest, I presume, give offence to any of my readers, whenthey have this assurance from me, that he was a person of the mostcourteous disposition, extensive charity, and exalted piety. Hisarguments were always agreeable to reason, and his conversation the mostacceptable of any person that I had ever yet met with in my life.
_Sir,_ said he, to me, one day, _since, under God,_ at the same timecrossing his breast, _you have not only saved my life; but, bypermitting me to go this voyage, have granted me the happiness of freeconversation, I think is my duty as my profession obliges me, to savewhat souls I can, by bringing them to the knowledge of some Catholicdoctrine, necessary to salvation; and since these people are under yourimmediate government, in gratitude, justice, and decency, for what youhave done for me, I shall offer no farther points in religion, that whatshall merit your approbation_. Being a-pleased with the modesty of hiscarriage, I told him he should not be worse used for being of adifferent persuasion, if upon that very account, we did not differ inpoints of faith, not decent in a part of the country where the poorIndians ought to be instructed in the knowledge of the true God, and hisSon Jesus Christ. To this he replied, that conversation might easily beseparated from disputes; that he would discourse with me rather as agentleman than a religious: but that, if we did enter upon religiousargument, upon my desiring the same, I would give him liberty to defendhis own principles. He farther added, that he would do all that becamehim in his office, as a priest as well as a Christian, to procure thehappiness of all that were in the ship: that though he could not praywith, he would pray for us on all occasions; and then he told me severalextraordinary events of his life, within a few years past; butparticularly in this last, which was the most remarkable: that, in thisvoyage, he had the misfortune to be five times shipped and unshipped:his first design was to have gone to Martinico; for which, taking shipat St. Malos, he was forced into Lisbon by bad weather, the vesselrunning aground in the mouth of the Tagus; that from thence he went onboard a Portuguese ship, bound to the Madeiras, whose master being butan indifferent mariner, and out of his reckoning, they were drove toFial, where sel
ling their commodity, which was corn, they resolved totake in their loading at the Isle of May, and to sail to Newfoundland;at the banks of which, meeting a French ship bound to Quebec, in theriver of Canada, and from thence to Martinico, in this ship he embarked;the master of which dying at Quebec, that voyage was suspended; andlastly, shipping himself for France, this last ship was destroyed byfire, as before has been related.
At this time we talked no further; but another morning he comes to me,just as I was going to visit the Englishman's colony, and tells me, thatas he knew; the prosperity of the island, was my principal desire, hehad something to communicate agreeable to my design, by which perhaps hemight put it, more than he yet thought it was, in the way of thebenediction of heaven. _How, Sir,_ said I, in a surprise, _are we notyet in the way of God's blessings, after all these signal providencesand deliverances, of which you have had such an ample relation?_ Hereplied, _Nope, Sir, you are in the way, and that your good design willprosper: but still there are some among you that are not equally rightin their actions; and remember, I beseech you, Sir, that Achan, by hiscrime, removed God's blessing from the camp of the children of Israel;that though six and thirty where entirely innocent, yet they became theobject of divine vengeance, and bore the weight of his punishmentaccordingly._
So sensibly was I touched with this discourse, and so satisfied withthat ardent piety that inflamed his soul, that I desired him toaccompany me to the Englishman's plantations, which he was very glad of,by reason they were the subject of what he designed to discourse with meabout: and while we walked on together, he began in thefollowing manner:
"Sir, said he, I must confess it as a great unhappiness that we disagreein several doctrinal articles of religion; but surely both of usacknowledge this, that there is a God, who having given us some statedrules for our service and obedience, we ought not willingly andknowingly to offend him; either by neglecting what he has commanded, orby doing what he has forbidden. This truth every Christian owns, thatwhen any one presumptuously sins against God's command, the Almightythen withdraws his blessing from him; every good man therefore oughtcertainly to prevent such neglect of, or sin against, God and hiscommands." I thanked the young priest for expressing so great a concernfor us, and desired him to explain the particulars of what he hadobserved, that according to the parable of Achan, I _might remove theaccursed thing from among us_ "Why then, Sir, said he, in the firstplace, you have four Englishmen, who have taken savage women to theirwives, by whom they have several children, though none of them arelegally married, as the law of God and man requires; they, I say, Sir,are no less than adulterers, and as they still live in adultery, areliable to the curse of God. I know, Sir, you may object the want of apriest or clergyman of any kind; as also, pen, ink and paper, to writedown a contract of marriage, and have it signed between them. Butneither this, nor what the Spanish governor has told you of theirchoosing by consent, can be reckoned a marriage, nor any more than anagreement to keep them from quarrelling among themselves; for, Sir, theessence or sacrament of matrimony (so he called it) not only consists inmutual consent, but in the legal obligation, which compels them to ownand acknowledge one another, to abstain from other persons, the men toprovide for their wives and children, and the woman to the same and likeconditions, _nutatis mutandis,_ on their side: whereas, Sir, these men,upon their own pleasure, on any occasion, may forsake those women andmarry others, and by disowning their children, suffer them utterly toperish. Now, Sir, 'added he, 'can God be honoured in such an unlawfulliberty as this; how can a blessing succeed to the best endeavours, ifmen are allowed to live in so licentious a way?" I was indeed struckwith the thing myself, and thought that they were much to blame, that noformal contract had been made, though it had been but breaking a stickbetween them, to engage them to live as man and wife, never to separate,but love, cherish, and comfort one another all their lives; _yet Sir,_said I, _when they took these wommen, I was not here, and if it isadultery, it is past my remedy, and I cannot help it_. "True, Sir,'answered the young priest, you cannot be charged with that part of thecrime which was done in your absence: but I beseech you, don't flatteryourself, that you are under no obligation now to put a period to it:which if you neglect to do, the guilt will be entirely on you alone,since it is certainly in nobody's power but yours, to alter theircondition." I must confess, I was so dull, that I thought he meant, Ishould part them, and knowing that this would put the whole island inconfusion, I told him, I could not consent to it upon any accountwhatsoever. "Sir,' said he, in a great surprise, 'I do not mean that youshould separate, but marry them, by a written contract, signed by bothman and woman, and by all the witnesses present, which all the Europeanlaws decree to be of sufficient efficacy." Amazed with such true pietyand sincerity, and considering the validity of a written contract, Iacknowledged all that he said to be very just and kind, and that I woulddiscourse with the man about it; neither could I see what reason theycould have not to let him marry them, whose authority in that affair isowned to be as authentic as if they were married by any of our clergymenin England.
The next complaint he had to make to me was this, that though theseEnglish subjects of mine have lived with these women seven years, andthough they were of good understanding, and capable of instruction,having learned not only to speak, but to read English, yet all thiswhile they had never taught them any thing of the Christian religion, orthe knowledge of God, much less in what manner he ought to be served."And is not this an unaccountable neglect:' said he warmly. 'Depend uponit, God Almighty will call them to account for such contempt. And thoughI am not of your religion, yet I should be glad to see these peoplereleased from the devil's power, and be saved by the principles of theChristian religion, the knowledge of God, of a Redeemer, theresurrection, and of a future state. But as it is not too late, if youplease to give me leave to instruct them, I doubt not but I shall supplythis great defect, by bringing them into the great circle ofChristianity, even while you continue in the island."
I could hold no longer, but embracing him, told him, with a thousandthanks, I would grant whatever he requested, and desired him to proceedin the third article, which he did in the following manner;
"Sir,' said he, 'it should be a maxim among all Christians, thatChristian knowledge ought to be propagated by all possible means, and onall occasion. Upon this account our church sends missionaries intoPersia, India, and China, men who are willing to die for the sake of God& the Christian faith, in order to bring poor infidels into the way ofsalvation. Now, Sir, as here is an opportunity to convert seven & thirtypoor savages, I wonder how you can pass by such an occasion of doinggood, which is really worth the expence of a man's whole life."
I must confess I was so confounded at this discourse, that I could nottell how to answer him. "Sir,' said he, feeling me in disorder, 'I shallbe very sorry if I have given you offence." _No Sir,_ said I, _I amrather confounded; and you know my circumstances, that being bound tothe East Indies in a merchant ship, I cannot wrong the owners so much,as to detain the ship here, the men lying at victuals and savages ontheir account. If I stay aboard several days, I must pay 3l. sterling_per diem _demurage, nor must the ship stop above eight days more; sothat I am unable to engage in this work, unless I would leave the ship,and be reduced to my former condition._ The priest, though he owned thiswas hard upon me, yet laid it to my conscience, whether the blessing ofsaving seven and thirty souls was not worth venturing all that I had inthe world? _Sir,_ said I, _it is very true; but as you are anecclesiastic, it naturally falls into your profession: why, therefore,don't you rather offer to undertake it yourself than press me to it?_upon this he turned about, making a very low bow, "I most humbly thankGod and you, Sir, (said he) for so blessed a call; and most willinglyundertake so glorious an office, which will sufficiently compensate allthe hazards and difficulties I have gone through in a long anduncomfortable voyage."
While he was thus speaking, I could discover a rapture in his face, byhis colour going and coming; at the same time his ey
es sparkled likefire, and all the signs of the most zealous transports. And when I askedwhether he was in earnest? _Sir,_ said he, _it was to preach to theIndians I consented to come along with you; these infidels, even in thislittle island, are infinitely of more worth than my poor life: if sothat I should prove the happy instrument of saving these poor creatures'souls, I care not if I never see my native country again. One thing Ionly beg of you more is, that you would leave Friday with me, to be myinterpreter, without whose assistance neither of us will understandeach other._
This request very sensibly troubled me; first, upon Friday's being breda Protestant; and secondly, for the affection I bore to him for hisfidelity: But, immediately the remembrance of Friday's father cominginto my head, I recommended him to him as having learned Spanish, whichthe priest also understood; and so was thoroughly satisfied with him.
When we came to the Englishmen, after I had told them what necessarythings I had done for them, I talked to them of the scandalous life theyled, told them what notice the clergyman had taken of it, and asked themif they were married men or bachelors? They answered, two of them werewidowers, and the other three single men. But, said I, with whatconscience can you call these your wives, by whom you have so manychildren, and yet are not lawfully married? They all said that they tookthem before the governor as such, having nobody else to marry them,which they thought as legal, as if they had had a parson. No doubt, saidI, but in the eye of God it is so: but unless I am assured of yourhonest intent, never to desert these poor creatures, I can do nothingmore for you, neither can you expect God's blessing while you live insuch an open course of adultery. Hereupon, Will Atkins, who spoke forthe rest, told me 'That they believed their wives the most innocent andvirtuous creatures in the world; that they would never forsake themwhile they had breath; and that, if there was a clergyman in the ship,they would be married to them with all their hearts.' I told you before,said I, that I have a minister with me, who shall marry you to-morrowmorning, if you are willing; so I would have you consult to-night withthe rest about it. I told him the clergyman was a Frenchman, and knewnot a word of English, but that I would act as clerk between them. Andindeed this business met with such speedy success, that they all toldme, in a few minutes after, 'that they were ready to be formally marriedas soon as I pleased;' with which informing the priest, he wasexceedingly rejoiced.
Nothing now remained, but that the women should be made sensible of themeaning of the thing; with which being well satisfied, they with theirhusbands attended at my apartment the next morning; there was my priest,habited in a black vest, something like a cassock, with a sash round it;much resembling a minister, and I was his interpreter. But theseriousness of his behaviour, and the scruples he made of marrying thewomen, who were not baptized, gave them, an exceeding reverence for hisperson: nor indeed would he marry them at all, till he obtained myliberty to discourse both with the men and women, and then he told them,'That in the sight of all indifferent men, and in the sense of the lawsof society, they had lived in open adultery, which nothing new, buttheir consent to marry, or final separation, could put an end to; andeven here was a difficulty with respect to the laws of Christianmatrimony, in marrying a professed Christian to a heathen idolater,unbaptized; but yet there was time enough to make them profess the nameof Christ, without which nothing could be done; that, besides, hebelieved themselves very indifferent Christians; and consequently hadnot discoursed with their wives upon that subject; and that unless theypromised him to do so, he could not marry them, as being expresslyforbidden by the laws of God.'
All this they heard attentively, and owned readily.
_But, Lord, Sir,_ said Will Atkins to me _how could we teach themreligion, who know nothing of it ourselves? How can we talk to our wivesof God, Jesus Christ, heaven, and hell? Why they would only laugh at us,who never yet have practiced religion, but on the contrary all manner ofwickedness. Will Atkins,_ said I, _cannot you tell your wife she is inthe wrong, and that her gods are idols, which can neither speak norunderstand; but that our God, who has made, can destroy all things; thathe rewards the good and punishes the wicked; and at last will bring usto judgment; cannot you tell her these things? That's true,_ saidAtkins, _but then she'll tell me it is utterly false, since I am notpunished and sent to the devil, who hath been such a wicked creature._These words I interpreted to the priest. "Oh!" said he, "tell him, hisrepentance will make him a very good minister to his spouse, and qualifyhim to preach on the mercy and long suffering of a merciful Being, whodesires not the death of a sinner, and even defers damnation to the lastjudgment; this will lead him to the doctrine of the resurrection andwill make him an excellent preacher to his wife." I repeated this toAtkins, who being more than ordinary affected with it, replied, _I knowall this, Sir, and a great deal more; but how can I have the impudenceto talk thus to my wife, given my conscience witnesses against me?Alas!_ said he (with tears in his eye, and giving a great sigh) _as forrepenting, that is for ever past me. Past you! Atkins,_ said I, _what doyou mean? You know well enough,_ said he, _what I mean, I mean it istoo late._
When I told the priest what he said, the poor affectionate man could notrefrain from weeping; but recovering himself "Pray, Sir," said he, "askhim if he is contented that it is too late; or is he concerned, andwishes it were not so?" This question I put fairly to Atkins, whoreplied in a passion, _How can I be easy in a state which I know mustterminate in my ruin? for I really believe, some time or other, I shallcut my threat, to put a period both to my life, and to the terrors of myconscience._
At this, the clergyman shook his head, "Sir," said he, "pray tell him itis not too late; Christ will give him repentance, if he has recourse tothe merit of his passion. Does he think he is beyond the power of Divinemercy? There may indeed be a time when provoked mercy will no longerstrive, but never too late for men to repent in this world." I toldAtkins every word the priest had said, who then parted from us to walkwith his wife, while we discoursed with the rest. But these were verystupid in religious matters; yet all of them promised to do theirendeavours to make their wives turn Christians; and upon which promisesthe priest married the three couple. But as Atkins was the only sincereconvert and of more sense than the rest, my clergyman was earnestlyinquiring after him: "Sir," said he, "let us walk out of this labyrinth,& I dare say we shall find this poor man preaching to his wife already."And indeed we found it true; for coming to the edge of the wood, weperceived Atkins and his savage wife sitting under the shade of a bush,in very earnest discourse; he pointed to the sun, to the quarters of theearth, to himself, to her, the woods, and the trees. Immediately wecould perceive him start upon his feet, fall down upon his knees, andlift up both his hands; at which the tears ran down my clergyman'scheeks; but our great misfortune was, we could not hear one word thatpassed between them. Another time he would embrace her, wiping the tearsfrom her eyes, kissing her with the greatest transports, and then bothkneel down for some minutes together. Such raptures of joy did thisconfirm in my young priest, that he could scarcely contain himself: Anda little after this, we observed by her motion, as frequently lifting upher hands, and laying them on her breast, that she was mightily affectedwith his discourse, and so they withdrew from our sight.
When we came back, we found them both waiting to be called in; uponwhich he agreed to examine him alone, and so I began thus to discoursehim. "Prithee, Will Atkins," said I, "what education have you? What wasyour father?"
_W.A._ A better man than ever I shall be; he was, Sir, a clergyman, whogave me good instruction, or correction, which I despised like a bruteas I was, and murdered my poor father.
_Pr._ Ha! a murderer!
[_Here the priest started and looked pale, as thinking he had reallykilled his father_.]
_R.C._ What, did you kill him with your hands?
_W.A._ No, Sir, I cut not his throat, but broke his heart by the mostunnatural turn of disobedience to the tenderest and best of fathers.
_R.C._ Well, I pray God grant you repentance: I did no
t ask you toexhort a confession; but I asked you because I see you have moreknowledge of what is good than your companions.
_W.A._ O Sir, whenever I look back upon my past life, conscienceupbraids me with my father: the sins against our parents make thedeepest wounds, and their weight lies the heaviest upon the mind.
_R.C._ You talk, Will, too feelingly and sensibly for me; I am not ableto bear it.
_W.A._ You bear it, Sir! you know nothing of it.
_R.C._ But yes, Atkins, I do; and every shore, valley, and tree in thisisland, witness the anguish of my soul for my undutifulness to my kindfather, whom I have murdered likewise; yet my repentance fallsinfinitely short of yours. But, Will, how comes the sense of this matterto touch you just now?
_W.A._ Sir, the work you have set me about, has occasioned it; fortalking to my wife about God and religion, she has preached me such asermon, that I shall retain it in lasting remembrance.
_R.C._ No, no, it is your own moving pious arguments to her, has madeconscience fling them back upon you. But pray, Atkins, inform us whatpassed between you and your wife, and in what manner you did begin.
_W.A._ I talked to her of the laws of marriage, the reason of suchcompacts, whereby order and justice is maintained; without which menwould run from their wives and children, to the dissolution of familiesor inheritances.
_R.C._ Well, and what did she say to all this?
_W.A._ Sir, we began our discourse in the following manner, which Ishall exactly repeat according to my mean capacity, if you think itworth you while to honour it with your attention.
* * * * *
_The DIALOGUE between WILL ATKINS and his Wife in the wood._
_Wife._ You tell me marriage God appoint, have you God in your country?
_W.A._ Yes, child, God is in every nation.
_Wife._ No; great old Benamuckee God is in my country, not yours.
_A._ My dear, God is in heaven, which he made; he also made the earth,the sea and all that is therein.
_Wife._ Why you no tell me much long ago?
_A._ My dear I have been a wicked wretch, having a long time livedwithout the knowledge of God in the world.
_Wife._ What, not know great God in own nation? No do good ting? No sayO to him? that's strange!
_A._ But, my dear, many live as if there was no God in heaven for allthat.
_Wife._ Why God suffer them? why makee not live well?
_A._ It is our own faults, child.
_Wife._ But if he is much great, can makee kill, why no makee kill whenno serve him? No be good mans, no cry O to him?
_A._ That's true, my dear, he may strike us dead, but his abundant mercyspareth us.
_Wife._ Did not you tell God thanked for that?
_A._ No, I have neither thanked him for his mercy, nor feared him forhis power.
_Wife._ Then me not believe your God be good, nor makee kill, when youmakee him angry.
_A._ Alas! must my wicked life hinder you from believing in him?
_Wife_. How can me tink your God lives there? _(pointing to heaven.)_Sure he no ken what you do here.
_A._ Yes, my dear, he hears us speak, sees what we do, and knows what weeven think.
_Wife._ Where then makee power strong, when he hears you curse, swear degreat damn?
_A._ My dear, this shows indeed he is a God and not a man who has suchtender mercy.
_Wife._ Mercy I what you call mercy?
_A._ He pities and spares us: as he is our great Creator, so he is alsoour tender Father.
_Wife._ So God never angry, never kill wicked, then he no good, no greatmighty.
_A._ O my dear, don't say so, he is both; and many times he showsterrible examples of his judgment and vengeance.
_Wife._ Then you makee de bargain with him; you do bad ting, he no hurtyou, he hurt other mans.
_A._ No, indeed, my lips are all presumptions upon his goodness.
_Wife._ Well, and yet no makee you dead; and you give him no tankeeneither?
_A._ It is true, I an ungrateful, unthankful dog, that I am.
_Wife._ Why, you say, he makee you, why makee you no much better then?
_A._ It is I alone that have deformed myself, and abused his goodness.
_Wife._ Pray makee God know me, me no makee him angry, no do bad ting.
_A._ You mean, my dear, that you desire I would teach you to know God:alas! poor dear creature, he must teach thee, and not I. But I'll prayearnestly to him to direct thee, and to forgive me, a miserable sinner._(Hereupon he went a little distance, and kneeling down, prayedearnestly to God to enlighten her mind, and to pardon his sins; whenthis was done, they continued their discourse thus.)_
_Wife._ What you put down knee for? For what hold up hand? Who you speakto?
_A._ My dear, I bowed in token of submission to him that made me, andprayed that he would open your eyes and understanding.
_Wife._ And can he do that too? And will he hear what you say?
_A._ Yes, my dear, he bids us pray, and has given us promise that hewill hear us.
_Wife._ When did he bid you pray? What I do you hear him speak?
_A._ No, my dear, but God has spoken formerly to good men from heaven;and by divine revelation they have written all his laws down in a book.
_Wife_. O where dat good book?
_A_. I have it not now by me; but one time or other I shall get it foryou to read. _Then he embraced her with great affection_.
_Wife_. Pray tell a mee, did God, teachee them write that book?
_A_. Yes, and by that rule we know him to be God.
_Wife_. What way, what rule you know him?
_A_. Because he teaches what is good, just, and holy; and forbids allwicked and abominable actions that incur his displeasure.
_Wife_. O me fain understand that, and if he do all things you say hedo, surely he hear me say O to him; he makee me good if I wish to begood, he no kill me if I love him; me tink, believe him great God; mesay O to him, along with you, my dear.
_Here the poor man fell upon his knees, and made her kneel down by himpraying with the greatest fervency, that God would instruct her by hisHoly Spirit; and that God by his providence would send them a Bible forboth their instructions. And such was the early piety of this newconvert, that she made him promise never to forsake God any more, lestbeing_ made dead, _as she called it; she should not only want herinstructor, but himself be miserable in a long eternity_.
Such a surprising account as this was, proved very affecting to us both,but particularly to the young clergyman, who was mightily concerned hecould not talk to her himself. "Sir," said he, "there, is something moreto be done to this woman then to marry her; I mean that she ought to bebaptized." To this, I presently agreed: "Pray," said he, "ask herhusband, whether he has ever talked to her of Jesus Christ, thesalvation of sinners, the nature of faith, and redemption in and by him,of the Holy Spirit, the resurection, last judgment, and a future state;"but the poor fellow melted into tears at this question, saying, that hehad said something to her of these things, but his inability to talk ofthem, made him afraid, lest her knowledge of them should rather make hercontemn religion, than be benefited by it; but that if I would discoursewith her, it would be very evident my labour would not be in vain.Accordingly I called her in, and placing myself as interpreter betweenthe religious priest and the woman, I entreated him to go on; but surelynever was such a sermon preached by any clergyman in these latter days,with so much zeal, knowledge, and sincerity; in short, he brought thewoman to embrace the knowledge of Christ, and of redemption by him, withso surprising a degree of understanding, that she made it her ownrequest to be baptized.
He than performed his office in the sacrament of baptism, first, bysaying some words over to himself in Latin, and then asking me to giveher a name, as being her godfather, and pouring a whole dish-full ofwater upon the woman's head, he said, "_Mary_, I baptize thee in thename of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost;" so that nonecould know of wh
at religion he was. After this he pronounced thebenediction in Latin. Thus the woman being made a Christian, he marriedher to Will Atkins; which being finished, he affectionately exhorted himto lead a holy life for the future; and since the Almighty, for theconvictions of his conscience, had honoured him to be the instrument orhis wife's conversion, he should not dishonor the grace of God, thatwhile the savage was converted, the instrument should be cast away. Thusended a ceremony, to me the most pleasant and agreeable I ever passedin my life.
The affairs of the island being settled, I was preparing to go on board,when the young man (whose mother was starved) came to me, saying, thatas he understood I had a clergyman with me, who had married theEnglishmen with savages, he had a match to make between two Christians,which he desired might be finished before I departed. Thinking that itwas he himself that had courted his mother's maid, I persuaded him notto do any thing rashly upon the account of his solitary circumstances;that the maid was an unequal match for him, both in respect to substanceand years; and that it was very probable he would live to return to hisown country, where he might have a far better choice. At these words,smiling, he interrupted me, thanking me for my good-advice; that as hehad nothing to beg of me but a small settlement, with a servant or two,or some new necessaries, so he hoped I would not be unmindful of himwhen I returned to England, but give his letter to his friends; and thatwhen he was redeemed, the plantation, and all its improvements, howevervaluable, should be returned to me again. But as for the marriage heproposed, that it was not himself, but that it was between myJack-of-all-trades and the maid Susan.
I was indeed agreeably surprised at the mentioning this match, whichseemed very suitable, the one being a very ingenious fellow, and theother an excellent, dexterous, and sensible housewife, fit to begoverness of the whole island; so we married them the same day; and as Iwas her father, and gave her away, so I gave her a handsome portion,appointing her and her husband a convenient large space of ground fortheir plantation. The sharing out of the land I left to Will Atkins, whoreally divided if very justly, to every person's satisfaction; they onlydesired one general writing under my hand for the whole, which I causedto be drawn up, signed, and sealed to them, setting out their bounds,and giving them a right to the whole possession of their respectiveplantations, with their improvements, to them and their heirs, reservingall the rest of the island as my own property, and a certain rent forevery particular plantation, after eleven years. As to their laws andgovernment, I exhorted them to love one another; and as to the Indianswho lived in a nook by themselves, I allotted three or four of themplantations, and the rest willingly chose to become servants to theother families, by which means they were employed in useful labour, andfared much better than they did before. Besides the savages thus mixedwith the Christians, the work of their conversion might be set on footby the latter, in the clergyman's absence, to our equal satisfaction.The young priest, however, was a little anxious lest the Christiansshould not be willing to do their parts in instructing these poorIndians; I therefore told him we should call them all together; that heshould speak to the Spaniards who were Papists, and I to the English,who were Protestants, and make them promise that they would never makeany distinction in religion, but teach the general true knowledge ofGod, and his son Jesus Christ, in order to convert the poor savages. Andthis, indeed, they all promised us accordingly.
When I came to Will Atkins's house, I found his baptized wife, and theyoung woman newly married to my Jack-of-all-trades, were become greatintimates, and discoursing of religion together. _O, Sir,_ says WillAtkins, _when God has sinners to reconcile to himself, he never wants aninstructor; I knew I was unworthy of so good a work, and therefore thisyoung woman has been sent hither as it were from heaven, who issufficient to convert a whole nation of savages_. The young womanblushed, and was going to rise; but I desired her to sit still, andhoped that God would bless her in so good a work; and then pulling out aBible (which I brought on purpose in my pocket for him.) _Here Atkins_,said I, _here is an assistant that perhaps you had not before_. Soconfounded was the poor man, that is was some time before he couldspeak; at last turning to his wife, _My dear_, he said, _did I not tellyou that God could hear what we said? Here's the book I prayed for, whenyou and I kneeled under the bush: God then heard us, and now has sentit_. The woman was surprised, and thought really God had sent thatindividual book from heaven; but I turned to the young woman, anddesired her to explain to the young convert, that God may properly besaid to answer our petitions, when, in the course of his providence,such particular things came to pass as we petitioned for. This the youngwoman did effectually; but surely Will Atkins's joy cannot be expressed;no man being more thankful for any thing in the world, than he was forhis Bible, nor desired it from a better principle.
After several religious discourses, I desired the young woman to give mean account of the anguish she felt when she was starving to death withhunger; to which she readily consented, and began in thefollowing manner:
"Sir," said she, "all our victuals being gone, after I had fasted oneday, my stomach was very sickly, and, at the approach, of night, I wasinclined to yawning and sleepy. When I slept upon the couch three hours,I awaked a little refreshed: three hours after, my stomach being moreand more sickly, I lay down again, but could not sleep, being very faintand ill. Thus I passed the second day with a strange variety, firsthungry, then sick again, with reachings to vomit: that night I dreamed Iwas at Barbadoes, buying plenty of provisions; and dined heartily. Butwhen I awaked, my spirits were exceedingly sunk, to find myself in theextremity of famine. There was but one glass of wine, which being mixedwith sugar, I drank up; but for want of substance to digest upon, thefumes of it got into my head, & made me senseless for some time. Thethird day I was so ravenous and furious, that I could have eaten alittle child if it had come in my way; during which time, I was as madas any creature in Bedlam. In one of these fits I fell down, and struckmy face against the corner of a pallet bed, where my mistress lay; theblood gushed out of my nose, but by my excessive bleeding, both theviolence of the fever, and the ravenous part of the hunger abated. Afterthis, I grew sick again, strove to vomit, but could not; then bleeding asecond time, I swooned away as dead; when I came to myself, I had adreadful gnawing pain in my stomach, which went of towards night, with alonging desire for food. I took a draught of water and sugar, but itcame up again; then I drank water without sugar, and that staid with me.I laid me down on the bed, praying God would take me away: after I hadslumbered, I thought myself a-dying, therefore recommended my soul toGod, and wished somebody would throw me into the sea. All this while mydeparting mistress lay by me: the last bit of bread she had, she gave toher dear child my young master. The morning after, I fell into a violentpassion of crying, and after that into hunger. I espied the blood thatcame from my nose in a bison, which I immediately swallowed up. At nightI had the usual variations, as the pain in the stomach, sick, sleepy,and ravenous: and I had no thought but that I should die before morning.In the morning came on terrible gripings in my bowels. At this time Iheard my young master's lamentations, by which I understood his motherwas dead. Soon after this, the sailors cried, _A sail! A sail!_hallooing as if they were distracted for joy of that relief, whichafterwards we received from your hands."
Surely never was a more distinct account of starving to death than this.But to return to the disposition of things among my people, I did nottake any notice to them of the sloop that I had framed, neither would Ileave them the two pieces of brass cannon, or the two quarter-deck gunsthat I had on board, lest, upon any disgust, they should have separated,or turned pirates, and so made the island a den of thieves, instead ofa plantation of sober pious people: but leaving them in a flourishingcondition, with a promise to send them further relief, from Brazil, assheep, hogs, and cows (being obliged to kill the latter at sea, havingno hay to feed them) I went on board the ship again, the first of May,1695, after having been twenty days among them: and next morning, givingthem a salute of five gun
s at parting, we set sail for the Brazils. Thethird day, towards evening, there happening a calm, and the currentbeing very strong, we were drove to the N.N.E. towards the land. Somehours after, we perceived the sea covered as it were with something veryblack, not easily at first to be discovered: upon which our chief mateascending the shrouds a little way, and taking a view with a perspectiveglass, he cries out, _An army! An army! You fool_, said I, _what do youmean? Nay, Sir_, said he, _don't be angry. I assure you, it is not onlyan army, but a fleet, too, for I believe there are a thousand canoespaddling along, and making with great haste towards us_.
Indeed every one of us were surprised at this relation; and my nephewthe captain could not tell what to think of it, but thought we shouldall be devoured. Nor was I free from concern, when I considered how muchwe were becalmed, and what a strong current set towards the shore;however, I encouraged him not to be afraid, but bring the ship to ananchor as soon as we were certain that we must engage them. Accordinglywe did so, and furled all our sails, as to the savages we fearednothing, but only that they might se the ship on fire; to prevent which,I ordered them to get their boats out, and fasten them, one close by thehead, and the other by the stern, well manned, with skeets and bucketsto extinguish the flames, should it so happen. The savages soon came upwith us, but there were not so many as the mate had said, for instead ofa thousand canoes there were only one hundred and twenty; too manyindeed for us, several of their canoes containing about sixteen orseventeen men.
As they approached us, they seemed to be in the greatest amazement, notknowing what to make of us. They rowed round the ship, which occasionedus to call to the men in the boats, not to suffer them to come nearthem. Hereupon they beckoned to the savages to keep back, which theyaccordingly did; but at their retreat they let fly about fifty arrowsamong us, and very much wounded one of our men in the long-boat. Icalled to them not to fire upon any account, but handing them down somedeal boards, the carpenters made them a kind of fence to shield themfrom the arrows. In half an hour after they came so near astern of us,that we had a perfect sight of them; then they rowed a little fartherout, till they came directly along-side of us, and then approached sonear, that they could hear us speak; this made me order all our men tokeep close, and get their guns ready. In the mean time I ordered Fridayto go out upon deck, and ask them in his language what they meant. Nosooner did he do so, but six of the savages, who were in the foremostcanoes, stooping down, showed us their naked backsides, as much as tosay in English, _Kiss our_----: but Friday quickly knew what this meant,by immediately crying out they were going to shoot; unfortunately forhim, poor creature, who fell under the cloud of three hundred arrows, noless than seven piercing through his body, killing one of the bestservants, and faithfullest of companions in all my solitudes andafflictions.
So enraged was I at the death of poor Friday, that the guns, whichbefore were charged only with powder, to frighten them, I ordered to beloaded with small shot; nor did the gunners fail in their aim, but atthis broadside split and overset thirteen or fourteen of their canoes,which killed numbers of them, and set the rest a swimming, the others,frightened out of their wits, little regarding their fellows drowning,scoured away as fast as they could. One poor wretch our people took up,swimming for his life, an hour after. He was very sullen at first, tothat he would neither eat nor speak; but I took a way to cure him, byordering them to throw him into the sea, which they did, and then hecame swimming back like a cork, calling in his tongue, as I suppose, tosave him. So we took him on board, but it was a long time before wecould make him speak or understand English; yet when we had taught him,he told us, 'they were going with their kings to fight a great battle;'and when we asked him, what made them come up to us? he said, _to makeede great wonder look_; where it is to be noted, that those natives, andthose of Africa, always add to _e_'s at the end of English words, as_makee, takee_, and the like, from which it is very difficult thing tomake them break off.
Being now under sail, we took our last farewell of poor honest Friday,and interred him with all possible decency and solemnity, putting him ina coffin, and committing him to the deep, at the same time caulingeleven guns to be fired at him. Thus ended the life of one of the mostgrateful, faithful, honest, and affectionate servants, that ever any manwas blessed with in the world.
Having now a fair wind for Brazil, in about twelve days time we madeland in the latitude of five degrees south of the line. Four days wekept on S. by E. in sight of shore, when we made Cape St. Augustin, andin three days we came up to an anchor off the Bay of all Saints. I hadgreat difficulty here to get leave to hold correspondence on shore; forneither the figure of my partner, my two merchant trustees, nor the fameof my wonderful preservation in the island, could procure me the favour,till such time as the prior of the monastery of the Augustines (towhom I had given 500 moidores) obtained leave from the Governor, for mepersonally, with the Captain & one more, together with eight sailors, tocome on shore; upon this condition, that we should not land any goodsout of the ship, nor carry any person away without licence; I foundmeans, however, to get on shore three bales of English goods, such asfine broad cloths, stuffs, and some linen, which I brought as a presentfor my partner, who had sent me on board a present of fresh provisions,wine and sweetmeats, worth about thirty moidores, including sometobacco, and three or four fine gold medals.
Revenging the death of Friday.]
Here I delivered my partner in goods to the value of 100L sterling, andobliged him to fit up the sloop I bought for the use of my island, inorder to send them refreshments; and so active was he in this matter,that he had the vessel finished in a few days, to the master of which Igave particular instructions to find the place. I soon loaded him with asmall cargo; and one of our sailors offered to settle there, upon myletter to the Spanish governor, if I would allot him tools and aplantation. This I willingly granted, and gave him the savage we hadtaken prisoner to be his slave. All things being ready for the voyage,my old partner told me there was an acquaintance of his, a Brazilplanter, who having fallen under the displeasure of the church, & infear of the Inquisition which obliged him to be concealed, would be gladof such an opportunity to make his escape, with his wife & twodaughters; & if I would allot them a plantation in my island, he wouldgive them a small stock to begin with, for that the officers had alreadyseized his effects and estate, and left him nothing but a littlehousehold stuff and two slaves. This request I presently granted,concealing him and his family on board our ship, till such time as thesloop (where all the effects were) was gone out of the bay, and then weput them on board, who carried some materials, and plants for plantingsugar-canes, along with them. By this sloop, among other things, I sentmy subjects three milch cows and five calves, about 22 hogs, three sowsbig with pig, two mares and a stone horse. I also engaged three Portugalwomen to go for sake of the Spaniards, which, with the persecuted man'stwo daughters, were sufficient, since the rest had wives of their own,though in another country; all which cargo arrived safe, no doubt totheir exceeding comfort, who, with this addition, were about sixty orseventy people, besides children.
At this place, my truly honest and pious clergyman left me; for a shipbeing ready to set sail for Lisbon, he asked me leave to go thither, butI assure you it was with the greatest reluctance I parted from a person,whose virtue and piety merited the greatest esteem.
From the Brazils, we made directly over the Atlantic Ocean to the Capeof Good Hope, having a tolerable good voyage, steering for the most partS.E. We were on a trading voyage, and had a supercargo on board, whowas to direct all the ship's motions after she arrived at the Cape, onlybeing limited to a certain number of days, for stay, by charter party,at the several ports she was to go to. At the Cape we only took in freshwater, and then sailed for the coast of Coromandel; we were thereinformed, that a French man of war of 50 guns, and two large merchantships were sailed for the Indies, but we heard no more of them.
In our passage, we touched at the island of Madagascar, where, thoughth
e inhabitants are naturally fierce and treacherous, & go constantlyarmed with bows & lances, yet for some time they treated us civilyenough; and, in exchange for knives, scisors, and other trifles, theybrought us eleven good fat bullocks, which we took partly for presentvictuals, and the remainder to salt for the ship's use.
So curious was I to view every corner of the world where I came to, thatI went on shore as often as I could. One evening when on shore, weobserved numbers of the people stand gazing at us at a distance. Wethought ourselves in no danger, as they had hitherto used us kindly.However, we cut three boughs cut of a tree, sticking them at a distancefrom us, which it seems, in that country, is not only a token of truceand amity, but when poles or boughs are set up on the other side, it isa sign the truce is accepted. In these treaties, however, there is oneprincipal thing to be regarded, that neither party come beyond oneanother's three poles or boughs; so that the middle space is not onlysecure, but is also allowed as a market for traffic and commerce. Whenthe truce is thus accepted, they stick up their javelins and lances atthe first poles, and come on unarmed; but if any violence is offered,away they run to their poles, take up their weapons, and then the truceis at an end. This evening it happened that a greater number of peoplethan usual, both men and women, traded among us for such toys as we had,with such great civility, that we made us a little tent, of large boughsof trees, some of the men resolving to lie on shore all night; but, formy part, I and some others took our lodging in the boat, with boughs oftrees spread over it, having a sail spread at the bottom to lie upon.About two o'clock in the morning we were awakened by the firing ofmuskets, and our men crying out for help, or else they would all bemurdered. Scarce had we time to get the boat ashore, when our men cameplunging themselves into the water, with about four hundred of theislanders at their heels. We took up seven of the men, three of themvery much wounded, and one left behind killed, while the enemy pouredtheir arrows so thick among us, that we were forced to make a barricade,with boards lying at the side of the boat, to shield us from danger:and, having got ready our fire-arms, we returned them a volley, whichwounded several of them, as we could hear by their cries. In thiscondition we lay till break of day, and then making signals of distressto the ship, which my nephew the captain heard and understood, heweighed anchor, & stood as near the shore as possible, and then sentanother boat with ten hands in her to assist us; but we called to themnot to come near, informing them of our unhappy condition. However theyventured; when one of the men taking the end of a tow-line in one hand,and keeping our boat between him and our adversaries, swam to us, andslipping our cables, they towed us, out of reach of their arrows, andquickly after a broadside was given them from the ship, which made amost dreadful havoc among them. When we got on board, we examined intothe occasion of this fray. The men who fled informed us that an oldwoman who sold milk within the poles, had brought a young woman withher, who carried roots or herbs, the sight of whom so much tempted ourmen, that they offered rudeness to the maid, at which the old woman setup a great cry: nor would the sailors part with the prize, but carriedher among the trees, while the old woman went, and brought a whole armydown upon them. At the beginning of the attack, one of our men waskilled with a lance, and the fellow who began the mischief, paid dearenough for his mistress, though as yet we did not know what had becomeof him; the rest luckily escaped. The third night after the action,being curious to understand how affairs stood, I took the supercargo andtwenty stout fellows with me, and landed about two hours beforemidnight, at the same place where those Indians stood the night before,and there we divided our men into two bodies, the boatswain commandingone, and I another. It was so dark, that we could see nobody, neitherdid we hear any voice near us: but by & bye the boatswain falling over adead body, we agreed to halt till the moon should rise, which he knewwould be in an hour after. We perceived here no fewer than two andthirty bodies upon the ground, whereof two were not quite dead.Satisfied with this discovery I was for going on board again; but theboatswain and the rest told me, they would make a visit to the Indiantown, where these dogs (so they called them) resided, asking me at thesame time to go along with them; for they did not doubt, besides gettinga good booty, but they should find Tom Jeffery there, for that was theunhappy man we missed. But I utterly refused to go, and commanded themback, being unwilling to hazard their lives, as the safety of the shipwholly depended upon them. Notwithstanding all I could say to them, theyall left me but one, and the supercargo; so we three returned to theboat, where a boy was left, resolving to stay till they returned. Atparting I told them I supposed most of them would run the same fate withTom Jeffery. To this they replied, _Come boys, come along, we'll warrantwe'll come off safe enough_; and so away they went, notwithstanding allmy admonitions, either concerning their own safety or the preservationof the ship. Indeed they were gallantly armed, every man having amusket, bayonet, and a pistol, besides cutlasses, hangers, pole-axes,and hand granades. They came to a few Indian houses at first, which notbeing the town they expected they went farther, & finding a cow tied toa tree, they concluded that she would be a sufficient guide, and so itproved; for, after they untied her, she led them directly to the town,which consisted of above two hundred houses, several families living insome of the huts together. At their arrival, all being in a profoundsleep, the sailors agreed to divide themselves into three bodies, andset three parts of the town on fire at once, to kill those that wereescaping, and plunder the rest of the houses. Thus desperately resolved,they went to work; but the first party had not gone far, before theycalled out to the rest, that they had found Tom Jeffery; whereupon theyall ran up to the place, and found the poor fellow indeed hanging upnaked by one arm, and his throat almost cut from ear to ear. In a housethat was hard by the tree, they found sixteen or seventeen Indians, whohad been concerned in the fray, two or three of them being wounded, werenot gone to sleep: this house they set on fire first, and in a fewminutes after, five or six places more in the town appeared in flames.The conflagration spread like wild-fire, their housing being all ofwood, and covered with flags or rushes. The poor affrighted inhabitantsendeavoured to run out to save their lives, but they were driven backinto the flames by the sailors, and killed without mercy. At the firsthouse above mentioned, after the boatswain had slain two with hispole-ax, he threw a hand-granade into the house, which bursting, made aterrible havoc, killing and wounding most of them; and their king andmost of his train, who were then in that house, fell victims to theirfury, every creature of them being either smothered or burnt. All thiswhile they never fired a gun, lest the people should awaken faster thanthey could overpower them. But the fire awakened them fast enough, whichobliged our fellows to keep together in bodies. By this time the wholetown was in a flame, yet their fury rather increased, calling out to oneanother to remember Tom Jeffery. The terrible light of thisconflagration made me very uneasy, and roused my nephew the captain, andthe rest of his men, who knew nothing of the matter. When he perceivedthe dreadful smoke, and heard the guns go off, he readily concluded hismen were in danger; he therefore takes another boat, and comes ashorehimself, with thirteen men well armed. He was greatly surprised to seeme and only two men in the boat, but more so when I told him the story:but though I argued with him, as I did with the men, about the dangerof the voyage, the interests of the merchants and owners, and thesafety of the ship, yet my nephew, like the rest, declared, that hewould rather lose the ship, his voyage, his life and all, than his menshould be lost for want of help; and so away he went. For my part,seeing him resolved to go, I had not power to stay behind. He orderedthe pinnace back again for twelve men more, and then we marched directlyas the flame guided us. But surely never was such a scene of horrorbeheld, or more dismal cries heard, except when Oliver Cromwell tookDrogheda in Ireland, where he neither spared man, woman, nor child.
The first object, I think, we met with, was the ruins of one of theirhabitations, before which lay four men and three woman killed, and twomore burnt to death among the fire, which was now de
caying. Nothingcould appear more barbarous than this revenge; none more cruel than theauthors of it. As we went on, the fire increased, and the cry proceededin proportion. We had not gone much farther, when we beheld three nakedwomen, followed by sixteen or seventeen men, flying with the greatestswiftness from our men, who shot one of them in our sight. When theyperceived us, whom they supposed also their murderers, they set up amost dreadful shriek, and both of them swooned away in the fright. Thiswas a sight which might have softened the hardest heart; and in pity wetook some ways to let them know we would not hurt them, while the poorcreatures with bended knees, and lifted up hands, made piteouslamentations to us to save their lives. I ordered our men not to huntany of the poor creatures whatsoever; but being willing to understandthe occasion of all this, I went among these unhappy wretches, whoneither understood me, nor the good I meant them. However being resolvedto put an end to this barbarity, I ordered the men to follow me. We hadnot gone fifty yards before we came up with the boatswain, with four ofour men at his heels, all of them covered with blood and dust, and insearch of more people to satiate their vengeance. As soon as we sawthem, we called out, and made them understand who we were; upon whichthey came up to us, setting up a holloo of triumph, in token that morehelp was come. _Noble Captain_, said he to my nephew, _I'm glad yourcome: we have not half done with these villainous hell-hound dogs;wee'll root out the very nation of them from the earth, and kill morethan poor Tom has hairs upon his head:_ and thus he went on till Iinterrupted him.--"Blood-thirsty dog," said I, "will your cruelty neverend? I charge you touch not one creature more; stop your hands and standstill, or you're a dead man this moment." _Why Sir_, said he, _youneither know whom you are protecting, nor what they have done: but praycome hither, and behold an instance of compassion, if such can merityour clemency_; and with that he shewed me the poor fellow with histhroat cut, hanging upon the tree.
Indeed, here was enough to fill their breasts with rage, which, however,I thought had gone too far, agreeable to these words of Jacob to hissons Simeon and Levi: _Cursed be their anger for it was fierce; andtheir wrath; for it was cruel._ But this sight made my nephew and therest as bad as they: nay, my nephew declared, his concern was only forhis men; as for the people, not a soul of them ought to live. Upon this,the boatswain and eight more directly turned about, and went to finishthe intended tragedy; which being out of my power to prevent, I returnedback from the dismal sight, & the piteous cries of those unfortunatecreatures, who were made victims to their fury. Indeed, it was anegregious piece of folly in me to return to the boat with but oneattendant; and I had very near paid for it, having narrowly escapedforty armed Indians, who had been alarmed by the conflagration; buthaving passed the place where they stood, I got to the boat accompaniedwith the supercargo, and so went on board, sending the pinnace backagain, to assist the men in what might happen. When I had got to theboat, the fire was almost extinguished, and the noise abated; but I hadscarce been half an hour on board the ship, when I heard another volleygiven by our sailors, and a great smoke, which, as I afterwards found,was our men falling upon those houses and persons that stood betweenthem and the sea; but here they spared the wives and children, andkilled only the men, to the number of about sixteen or seventeen. By thetime they got to the shore, the pinnace and the ship's boat were readyto receive them, and they all got safe on board, not a man of themhaving received the least hurt, except two, one of whom strained hisfoot, and the other burnt his hand a little; for they met with noresistance, the poor Indians being unprepared, amazed, and confounded.
I was extremely angry with every one of them, but particularly with thecaptain, who instead of cooling the rage of the men, had prompted themon to further mischief: nor could he make me any other excuse, but thatas he was a man, he could not master his passions at the sight of one ofhis men so cruelly murdered. As for the rest, knowing they were notunder my command, they took no notice of any anger, but rather boastedof their revenge. According to all their accounts, they killed ordestroyed about 150 men, women, and children, besides burning the townto ashes. They took their companion Tom Jeffery from the tree, coveredhim with some of the ruins, and so left him. But however this action ofour men might seem to them justifiable, yet I always openly condemned itwith the appellation, of the Massacre of Madagascar. For tho' thenatives had slain this Jeffery, yet certainly he was the firstaggressor, by attempting to violate the chastity of a young innocentwoman, who ventured down to them, on the faith of the publiccapitulation, which was so treacherously broken.
While we were under sail, the boatswain would often defend this bloodyaction, by saying, that the Indians had broke the truce the nightbefore, by shooting one of our men without just provocation: and what ifthe poor fellow had taken a little liberty with the wench, he ought notto have been murdered in so villainous a manner: and that they had actednothing but what the divine laws commissioned to be done to suchhomicides. However I was in the same mind as before, telling them thatthey were murderers, and bid them depend upon it that God would blasttheir voyage, for such an unparalleled piece of barbarity.
When we came to the Gulph of Persia, five of our men, who ventured onshore, were either killed or made slaves by the Arabians, the rest ofthem having scarce time to escape to their boat. This made me upbraidthem afresh with the just retribution of Heaven for such actions; uponwhich the boatswain very warmly asked me, _Whether those men on whom thetower of Siloam fell, were greater sinners than the rest of theGalileans? and besides, Sir_, said he, _none of these five poor men thatare lost, were with us at the Massacre of Madagascar, as you call it,and therefore your representation is very unjust, and your applicationimproper. Besides_, added he, _you are continually using the men veryill upon this account, and, being but a passenger yourself, we are notobliged to bear it; nor can we tell what evil designs you may have tobring us to judgment for it in England: and, therefore, if you do notleave this discourse, as also not concern yourself with any of ouraffairs, I will leave the ship, and not sail among suchdangerous company._
All this I heard very patiently; but, it being often repeated, I atlength told him, the concern I had on board was none of his business;that I was a considerable owner in the ship, and therefore had a rightto speak in common, and that I was no way accountable to him, nor to anybody else. As no more passed for some time after, I thought all had beenover. At this time we were in the road of Bengal, where, going on shorewith the supercargo one day, in the evening, as I was preparing to go onboard, one of the men came to me, and told me, I need not trouble myselfto come to the boat, for that the cockswain and others had ordered himnot to carry me on board any more. This insulent message much surprisedme; yet I gave him no answer to it, but went directly and acquainted thesupercargo, entreating him to go on board, and, by acquainting theCaptain with it, prevent the mutiny which I perceived would happen. Butbefore I had spoken this, the matter was effected on board; for nosooner was he gone off in the boat, but the boatswain, gunner,carpenter, and all the inferior officers, came to the quarter-deck,desiring to speak with the Captain; & there the boatswain made a longharangue, exclaiming against me, as before mentioned, that, if I had notgone on shore peaceably, for my own diversion, they, by violence wouldhave compelled me, for their satisfaction: that as they had shipped withthe Captain, so they would faithfully serve him; but if I did not quitthe ship, or the Captain oblige me to it, they would leave the shipimmediately: hereupon, turning his face about by way of signal, they allcried out, "ONE and ALL! ONE and ALL!"
You may be sure, that though my nephew was a man of great courage, yethe could not but be surprised at their sudden and unexpected behaviour;and though he talked stoutly to them, and afterwards expostulated withthem, that in common justice to me, who was a considerable owner in theship, they could not turn me as it were out of mine own house, whichmight bring their lives in danger should they ever be taken in England;nay, though he invited the boatswain on shore to accomodate matters withme, yet all this I say, signified nothing; they wou
ld have nothing to dowith me; and they were resolved to go on shore if I came on board._Well,_ said my nephew, _if you are so resolved, permit me to talk withhim, and then I have done; and so he came to me, giving me an account oftheir resolution, how one and all designed to forsake the ship when Icame on board, for which he was mightily concerned._ "I am glad to seeyou, nephew," said I, "and rejoice it is no worse, since they have notrebelled against you; I only desire you to send my necessary things onshore, with a sufficient sum of money, and I will find my way to Englandas well as I can." Though this grieved my nephew to the heart, yet therewas no remedy but complience; in short, all my necessaries were sent me,and so this matter was over in a few hours.
I think I was now near a thousand leagues farther off England by sea,than at my little kingdom, except this difference, that I might travelby land over the Great Mogul's country to Surat, from thence to Baffora,by sea up the Persian Gulph, then take the way of the caravans over theArabian desert to Alleppo and Scanderoon, there take shipping to Italy,and so travel by land into France, and from thence cross the seato England.
My nephew left me two persons to attend me; one of them was his servant,and the other clerk to the purser, who engaged to be mine. I tooklodging in an English woman's house, where several French, one English,and two Italian merchants resided. The handsome entertainment I met withhere, occasioned me to stay nine months, considering what course Ishould take. Some English goods I had with me of great value, besides athousand pieces of eight, and a letter for more, if there was suchnecessity. The goods I soon disposed of to advantage, and bought hereseveral good diamonds, which I could easily carry about with me. Onemorning the English merchant came to me, as being very intimatetogether, _countryman_, said he, _I have a project to communicate toyou, which I hope will suit to both our advantage. To be short, Sir, weare both in a remote part of the world from our country; but yet in aplace where men of business may get a great deal of money. Now, if youwill put a thousand pounds to my thousand pounds, we will hire a ship toour satisfaction; you shall be Captain, I will be merchant: and we'll goa trading voyage to China, for why should we lie still like drones,while the whole world is in a continual motion_.
This proposal soon got my consent, being very agreeable to my ramblinggenius; and the more so, because I looked upon my countryman to be avery sincere person; it required some time before we could get a vesselto our mind, and sailors to man it accordingly; at length we bought aship, and got an English mate, boatswain, and gunner, a Dutch carpenter,and three Portuguese foremast men; and, for want of others, made shiftwith Indian seamen. We first sailed to Achin, in the island of Sumatra,and then to Siam, where we bartered our wares for some arrack and opium,the last of which bore a great price among the Chinese; in a word, wewent up to Suskan, making a very great voyage; &, after eight monthstime, I returned to Bengal, very well satisfied with this adventure,having not only got a sufficient quantity of money, but an insight ofgetting a great deal more.
The next voyage my friend proposed to me, was to go among the spiceislands, and bring home a load of cloves from the Manillas, orthereabouts; islands belonging partly to Spain, but where the Dutchtrade very considerably. We were not long in preparing for this voyage,which we made no less successful than the last, touching at Borneo, andseveral other places which I do not perfectly remember, and returninghome in about five months time. We soon sold our spices, which werechiefly cloves and some nutmegs, to the Persian merchants, who carriedthem away to the gulph; and, in short, making five to one advantage, wewere loaded with money.
Not long after my friend and I had made up our accounts, to our entiresatisfaction, there came in a Dutch coaster from Batavia of about twohundred tons. The crew of this vessel pretended themselves so sickly,that there were not hands sufficient to undertake a voyage; and theCaptain having given out that he intended to go to Europe, public noticewas given that the ship was to be sold. No sooner did this come to ourears, but we bought the ship, paid the master, and took possession. Wewould also have very willingly entertained some of the men; but theyhaving received their share of booty, were not to be found, beingaltogether fled to Agra, the great city of the Mogul's residence; andfrom thence went to travel to Surat, and so by the sea to the PersianGulph. And indeed they had reason to fly in this manner; for the truthof it was the pretended Captain was the gunner only, and not thecommander; that having been on a trading voyage, they were attacked onshore by the Malayans, who killed three men and the Captain; after whosedeath the other eleven men ran away with the ship to the Bay of Bengal,and left the mate and five men more on shore: but of this affair weshall have occasion to speak more at length hereafter.
However they came by the ship, we thought we bought it honestly; neitherdid we suspect any thing of the matter, when the man showed us a bill ofsale for the ship (undoubtedly forged) to one Emanuel Clostershoven,which name he went by. And so without any more to do, we picked up someDutch and English seamen, resolving for another voyage for cloves amongthe Phillippine and Molucca Islands: in short, we continued thus five orsix years, trading from port to port with extraordinary success. In theseventh year, we undertook a voyage to China, designing to touch atSiam, and buy some rice by the way. In this voyage, contrary winds beatus up and down for a considerable time among the islands in the Straitsof Molucca. No sooner were we clear of those rugged seas, but weperceived our ship had sprung a leak, which obliged us to put into theriver Cambodia, which lies northward of the Gulph, and goes up to Siam.
One day, as I was on shore refreshing myself, there comes to me anEnglishman, who was gunner's mate on board an English East India ship,riding up the river near the city of Cambodia. _Sir_, said he, _you maywonder at my business, having never seen me in your life; but tho' I ama stranger, I have something to tell you that very nearly concerns you:& indeed it is the imminent danger you are in has moved me to give youthis timely notice_. "Danger!" said I, "what danger? I know of none,except my ship being leaky, for which I design to have her run agroundto-morrow morning" _I hope you will be better employed when you shallhear what I have to say to you. You know the town of Cambodia is aboutfifteen leagues up this river; about three leagues on this side of it,there lie two Dutch and three English ships. And would you venture herewithout considering what strength you have to engage them_? I knew notwhat he meant by this discourse, and turning short upon him, "Sir," saidI, "I know no reason I have to be afraid either of any Dutch or Englishships. I am no interloper, and what business have they with me?" _Well,Sir,_ said the man, _if you do think yourselves secure, all as I cansay, you must take your chance; however, I am very sorry you are so deafto good advice; but I assure you; if you do not put to sea immediately,you will be attacked by five long-boats full of men, hanged yourself fora pirate, if you are taken, and the particulars examined afterwards. Ithought, Sir_, added he, _I might have met a better reception for such asingular piece of service_. "Sir," said I, "I was never ungrateful toany man; but pray explain yourself and I'll go on board this minute,whether the leak be stopped or no." _Why, Sir,_ said he, _to be short,because time is precious, the matter is this: You know well enough thatyou was with the ship at Sumatra, when your Captain was murdered by theMalayans, with three of his sailors; and that either you, or some whowere on board you, ran away with the ship, and are since turned piratesat sea. Now, Sir, this is the sum of what I had to say: and I canpositively assure you, that if you are taken, you will be executedwithout much ceremony, for undoubtedly you cannot but be sensible whatlittle law merchant ships show to pirates, whenever they fall intotheir hands_.
"Sir,' said I, 'I thank you for your kind information; and though I amsure no man could come more honestly by the ship than I have done, yetknowing their enterprize, and being satisfied of your honest intention,I'll be upon my defence. _Pr'ythee, Sir,_ said the man, _don't talk ofbeing upon your defence, the best that you can make is to be out ofdanger; and therefore, if you have any regard for your life, & the livesof your men, take the advantage, without fail, of p
utting out to sea athigh-water: by which means, as you have a whole tide before you, youwill be gone too far out of their reach before they can come down._
"I am mighty well satisfied," said I, "in this particular, and for yourkindness, which merits my great esteem; pray, Sir, what amends shall Imake you?" He replied, "I know not what amends you are willing to make,because you may have some doubts of its certainty: but, to convince youof the truth of what I say, I have one offer to make to you. On boardone of the English ships, I have nineteen months pay due to me, and thisDutchman that is with me has seven months pay due to him, which if youwill make good to us, we will go along with you. If you shall find thatthere is nothing in what we have said, then we shall desire nothing; butwhen you are convinced that we have saved the ship, your life, and thelives of the men, we will leave the whole to your generosity."
So reasonable did this every way appear, that I immediately consented,and we went directly on board. As soon as we came on board, my partnercalls joyfully out, _That they had stopped the leak?_ "Well, thank God,"said I, "but pray let us weigh anchor forthwith."--_Weigh,_ said he,_what is the meaning of this hurry_? "Pray ask no questions," said I,"but all hands to work, without losing a moment's time." Upon which, ingreat surprise, the Captain was called, who immediately ordered theanchor to be got up; and though the tide was not quite down, yet beingassisted with a little land breeze, we stood to sea. I then called mypartner into the cabin, and related the story at large, which wasconfirmed and more amplified by the two men I had brought on board.Scarce had we finished our discourse upon this head, but a sailor cameto the cabin door, with a message from the Captain, that we were chasedby five sloops full of armed men. "Very well," said I, "it is plain nowthere is something in it." And so, going upon deck, I told all the menthere was a design for seizing the ship, and of executing us forpirates; and asked them whether they would faithfully stand by us, andby one another? To which they unanimously replied, "That they wouldfight to their last drop of blood." I then asked the Captain, which wayhe thought best for us to manage the battle? _Sir_, said he, _the onlymethod is to keep them off with our great shot as long as we are able,and then have recourse to our small arms: and when both these fail us,then retire to close quarters, when perhaps the enemy wanting materials,can neither break open our bulk heads, nor get in upon us_. Meantime,the gunner was ordered to bring two guns to bear fore and aft out of thesteerage, and so load them with musket-bullets and small pieces of oldiron; and the deck being cleared, we prepared for the engagement, still,however, keeping out at sea. The boats followed us, with all the sailthey could make, and we could perceive the two foremost were English,which out-sailed the rest by two leagues, and which we found would comeup with us: hereupon, we fired a gun without a ball, intimating thatthey should bring to, and we put out a flag of truce, as a signal forparley; but finding them crowding after us, till they came within shot,we took in our white, and hanging out the red flap, immediately fired atthem with ball: we then called to them with a speaking trumpet, biddingthem at their peril keep off.
But all this signified nothing; for depending upon the strength thatfollowed them, they were resolutely bent for mischief: hereupon Iordered them to bring the ship to, by which means, they lying upon ourbroadside, we let fly at them at once, one of whom carried away thestern of the hindermost boat, and obliged them not only to take downtheir sail, but made them all run to the head of the boat, to keep themfrom sinking, and so she lay by, having enough of it. In the meantime,we prepared to welcome the foremost boat in the same manner. While wewere doing this, one of the three hindermost boats came up to the reliefof that which was disabled, and took the men out of her. We againcalled to parley with them; but, instead of an answer, one of the boatscame close under our stern; whereupon our gunner let fly his two chaseguns, but missing, the men in the boat shouted, and, waving their caps,came on with greater fury. To repair this seeming disgrace, the gunnersoon got ready, and firing a second time, did a great deal of mischiefamong the enemy. We waved again, and, bringing our quarter to bear uponthem, fired three guns more, when we found the boat a sinking, andseveral men already in the sea; hereupon, manning our pinnace, I gaveorders to save as many as they could, and instantly to come on board,because the rest of their boats were approaching: accordingly they didso, and took up three of them, one of whom was almost past recovery; andthen crowding all the sail we could, after our men came on board, westood out farther to sea, so that the other three boats gave over thechase, when they came up to the first two. Thus delivered from imminentdanger, we changed our course to the eastward, quite out of the courseof all European ships.
Being now at sea, and inquiring more particularly of the two seamen, themeaning of all this, the Dutchman at once let us into the secret. Hetold us, that the fellow who sold us the ship was an errant thief, whohad run away with her; that the Captain was treacherously murdered onthe coast of Molucca by the natives there, with three of his men; thathe, the Dutchman, and four more, being obliged to have recourse to thewoods for their safety, at length escaped by means of a Dutch ship inits way to China, which had sent their boat on shore for fresh water:That, after this, he went to Batavia, where two of the seamen belongingto the ship (who had deserted the rest in their travels) arrived, andthere gave an account that the fellow who ran away with the ship hadsold her at Bengal to a set of pirates, who went a cruising, and hadalready taken one English and two Dutch ship, richly laden.
Now, tho' this was absolutely false, my partner truly said, that ourdeliverance was to be esteemed so much the more, by reason, had wefallen into their hands, we could have expected nothing from them butimmediate death, considering our accusers would have been our judges;and, therefore, his opinion was to return directly to Bengal, where,being known, we could prove how honestly we came by the ship, of whom webought her, and the like, and where we were sure of some justice; atleast would not be hanged first, and judged afterwards. I was at firstof my partner's opinion, but when I had more seriously considered of thematter, I told him, we ran a great hazard in attempting to return, beingon the wrong side of the Straits of Molucca and that, if, upon alarmgiven, we should be taken by the Dutch at Batavia, or English elsewhere,our turning away would be a sufficient evidence to condemn us. Thisdanger indeed startled not only my partner, but likewise all the ship'scompany; so we changed our former resolution, and resolved to go to thecoast of Tonquin, and so to that of China, where, pursuing our firstdesign as to trade, we might likewise have an opportunity to dispose ofthe ship some way or other, and to return to Bengal in any countryvessel we could procure. This being agreed to, we steered away N.N.E.about 50 leagues off the usual course to the east; which put us to someinconveniences. As the wind blew steadily against us, our voyage becamemore tedious, and we began to be afraid of want of provision; and whatwas still worse, we apprehended, that as those ships from whose boat wehad escaped, were bound to China, they might get before us, and havegiven fresh information, which might create another vigorous pursuit.Indeed, I could not help being grieved, when I considered that I who hadnever wronged or defrauded any person in my life, was now pursued like acommon thief, and if taken to run the greatest danger of being executedas such; and, though innocent, I found myself under the necessity offlying for my safety; and thereby escape being brought to shame, ofwhich I was even more afraid than death itself. It was easy to read mydejection in my countenance. My mind was oppressed, like those unhappyinnocent persons, who being overpowered by blasphemous and perjuredevidences, wickedly resolved to take away their lives, or ruin theirreputation, have no other recourse in this world to ease their sorrow,but sighs, prayers, and tears. My partner seeing me so concerned,encouraged me as well as he could; and, after describing to me theseveral ports of that coast, he told me, he would either put me in onthe coast of Cochinchina, or else in the bay of Tonquin, from whence wemight go to Macao, a town once possessed by the Portuguese, and wherestill many European families resided.
To this place we steered, and, earl
y next morning, came in sight of thecoast; but thought it advisable to put into a small river where wecould, either over land, or by the ship's pinnace, know what vesselswere in any ports thereabouts. This happy step proved our deliverance;for, next morning, there came to the bay of Tonquin two Dutch ships, anda third without any colours; and in the evening, two English shipssteered the same course. The river where we were was but small, and ranbut a few leagues up the country northward; the country was wild andbarbarous, and the people thieves, having no correspondence with anyother nation; dealing only in fish, oil, and such gross commodities: andone barbarous custom they still retained, that when any vessel wasunhappily shipwrecked upon their coast, they make the men prisoners orslaves, so that now we might fairly say we were surrounded by enemiesboth by sea and land.
As the ship had been leaky, we took the opportunity, in this place tosearch her, and to stop up the places which let in the water. Weaccordingly lightened her, and bringing our guns and other moveablethings to one side, we essayed to bring her down, that we might come toher bottom: but, upon second consideration, we did not think it safe tolet her lie on dry ground, neither indeed was the place convenient forit. The inhabitants not used to such a sight as to see a ship lie downon one side; and heel in towards the shore, and not perceiving her men,who were at work on her bottom, with stages and boats on the off side,presently imagined the ship had been cast away, and lay fast on theground. Agreeable to this supposition, they surrounded us with ten ortwelve large boats, with a resolution, undoubtedly to plunder the ship,and to carry away those they found alive for slaves to their king. Butwhen they perceived our men hard at work on the ship's bottom and side,washing, graving, and stopping her, it filled them all with suchsurprise, that they stood gazing as though they were confounded. Norcould we imagine what their design was; however, for fear of danger, wehanded down arms and ammunition to those at work, in order to defendthemselves; and, indeed, this precaution was absolutely necessary; for,in a quarter of an hour after, the natives, concluding it was really ashipwreck, and that we were saving our lives and goods, which theythought belonged to them, came down upon our men as though it had beenin line of battle. We lay at present but in a very unfit posture tofight; and before the stages could be got down, or the men in the boatcome on board as they were ordered, the Cochinchinese were upon them,and two of their boats boarding our long boat, they began to lay hold ofour men as prisoners. The first they seized was a stout English sailor,who never fired his musket, like a fool, as I imagined, but laid it downin the boat: but he knew what he was doing; for, by main force, hedragged the Pagan out of the boat into ours by the two ears, and knockedhis brains out against the boat's gunnel; a Dutchman that was next him,snatched up the musket, and knocked down five more with the but-end ofit; however, this was doing very little to their number; but a strangeunexpected accident, which rather merits laughter than any thing else,gave our men a complete victory over them.
It seems the carpenter, who was preparing to grave the outside of theship, as well as to pay the seams, where he caulked to stop the leaks,had gotten two kettles just let down in the boat, one filled withboiling pitch, and the other with rosin, tallow, oil, and such stuffs asthe shipwrights use; the carpenter's man had a great iron ladle withwhich he used to supply the workmen with hot stuff, & as two of theenemies entered the boat where the fellow stood, he saluted them with afull ladle of the hot boiling liquor; which, the poor creatures beinghalf naked, made them roar out, and jump into the sea. _Well done,Jack_, says the carpenter, _give them the other dose_: and so steppingforward himself, takes a mop, and dipping it into the pitch-pot, he andhis man so plentifully flung it among them, as that none escaped beingscalded; upon which they all made the best of their way, crying andhowling in such a frightful manner, that, in all my adventures, I neverheard the like. And, indeed, never was I better pleased with anyconquest than I was with this, there being so little bloodshed, andhaving an aversion to killing such savage wretches, (more than wasnecessary) as knowing they came on errands, which their laws and customsmade them think were just and equitable. By this time, all things beingin order, and the ship swimming, they found their mistake, so they didnot venture a second attack. Thus ended our merry fight; and, having gotrice, bread, roots, and sixteen good hogs on board the day before we setsail, not daring to go into the bay of Tonquin, but steering N.E. towardthe isle of Formosa, or as tho' we would go to the Manillas, orPhillippine islands, for fear of meeting with any European ships; whenwe anchored at the isle of Formosa, the inhabitants not only courteouslysupplied us with provisions and fresh water, but dealt very fairly andhonestly with us in their bargains and agreements. From this place westeered north, keeping still off the coast of China, till we were beyondall its ports where European ships usually come; and, at length, beingcome to the latitude of thirty degrees, we resolved to put into thefirst trading port we should come at; and standing for the shore, a boatcame off two leagues to us, with an old Portuguese pilot on board, whooffered his service; we very gladly accepted him, and sent the boat backagain. And now, having the man on board, I talked to him of going toNanquin, the most northward part of the coast of China. _What will youdo there_? said he, smiling. I told him that we would sell our cargo,and purchase calicoes, raw and wrought silks, tea, &c. and so return thesame way back. _O_, said he, _you had better put in at Macao, where youmay buy China wares as cheap as at Nanquin, and sell your opium at agreater advance_. "But' said I 'we are gentlemen as well as merchants,and design to see the great city of Pekin, and the magnificent court ofthe monarch of China," _Why then_, said he, _you should go to Ningpo,where is a navigable river that goes through the heart of that vastempire, two hundred and seventy leagues from the sea, which crosses allthe rivers, passes considerable hills, by the help of the sluices andgates, and goes even up to the city of Pekin. You may go to Nanquin ifyou please, and travel to Pekin, and there is a Dutch ship just beforebound that way_. At the name of a Dutch or English ship, I was struckwith confusion; they being as great a terror to me in this vessel, as anAlgerine man of war is to them in the Mediterranean. The old man findingme troubled, _Sir_, said he, _I hope the Dutch are not now at war withyour nation_. "No," said I, "but God knows what liberty they may takewhen out of the reach of the law." _Why_, says he _what occasion isthere for peaceable merchants to fear? For believe me, they never meddlewith any but PIRATES._
The Carpenter and his man defeats the Cochinchinese.]
At the mentioning the word _pirates_, my countenance turned to that ofscarlet; nor was it possible for me to conceal it from the old pilot;who was taking notice of it, _Sir_, said he _take what course youplease, I'll do you all the service I can._ "Seignior," said I, "I am alittle concerned at your mentioning pirates; I hope there are none suchin these seas, because you see in what weak condition we are to defendourselves." _O, Sir_, said he, _if that's all, don't be concerned, Idon't remember one in these seas these fifteen years, except above amonth ago one was seen in the bay of Siam, but he is gone to thesouthward; neither was she built for a privateer, but was run away withby a reprobate Captain, and some of his men, the right Captain havingbeen murdered by the Malayans_.
"What," said I, (as though ignorant of what had happened) "did they killthe Captain?" _No_, said he, _it is generally thought the Malayansmurdered him; but they justly deserve hanging. The rogues were latelydiscovered in the bay of Siam, in the river of Cambodia, by someDutchmen who belonged to the ship, and had much ado to escape the fiveboats that pursued them, but they have solemnly sworn to give no quarterto the Captain or the seamen but hang them every one up at the yard-arm,without any formal business of bringing them to a court of judicature_.
Being sensible, that, having the old man on board, he was incapable ofdoing me any mischief, "Well, Seignior, (said I) it is for this veryreason I would have you carry us up to Nanquin, where neither Englishnor Dutch ships come; and I must tell you, their Captains are a parcelof rash, proud, insolent rascals, that neither know what belongs tojustice,
nor how to behave themselves as the laws of God or naturedirect; fellows that would prove murderers to punish robbers, and takeupon them to adjudge innocent men to death, without any proof to provethem guilty, but perhaps I may live to call them to account for it, in aplace where they may be taught how justice is to be executed." And so Itold him all the story of buying the ship, and how we were saved by themeans of two men; that the murder of the Captain by the Malayans, asalso the running away with the ship, I believed to be true; but thatwe, who bought it, were turned pirates, was a mere fiction to covertheir cowardice and foolish behaviour, when they attacked us, & theblood of those men we killed in our own just defence, lay at their door,who sent to attack us by surprise.
"Sir, (said the old man, amazed) you have taken the right course tosteer to the north, and, if I might advise you, I would have you sellyour ship in China, and buy or build another in that country; and I'llprocure people to buy the one and sell the other." "Well, but, Seignior,(said I) if I sell the ship in this manner, I may bring some innocentpersons into the same dangers I have gone through, perhaps worse, evendeath itself; whereby I should be as guilty of their murder as theirvillainous executioners." "That need not trouble you, (says the old man)I'll find a way to prevent that; for these commanders you talk of I knowvery well, and will inform them rightly of the matter as you haverelated, and I am persuaded they will not only believe me, but act morecautiously for the future." "And will you deliver one message from me tothem?" "Yes, (said he) if you will give it under your hand, that I mayprove it is not of my own production," Hereupon I wrote a large accountof their attacking me in their long-boat, the pretended reason andunjust design of it; that they had done what they might be ashamed of,and could not answer for at any tribunal in England. But this letter waswrit in vain. Providence ordered things another way. We sailed directlyfor Nanquin, and in about thirteen day's sail, came to an anchor at thesouth-west point of the great gulf of that place, where we learned, thattwo Dutch ships were gone the length before us, and that we shouldcertainly fall into their hands. We were all at a great loss in thisexigency, and would very gladly have been on shore almost any where; butour old pilot told me, that if I would sail to the southward about twoand forty leagues, there was a little port called Quinchange, where noEuropean ships ever came, and where we might consider what was furtherto be done. Accordingly we weighed anchor the next day, calling onlytwice on shore by the way to get fresh water. The country people verycourteously sold us roots, tea, rice, fowls, and other provisions. Afterfive days sail we came to the port, and landed with unspeakable joy. Weresolved to dispose of ourselves and effects in any other way possible,than enter on board that ill-fated vessel more; for no state can be moremiserable than a continued fear, which is a life of death, a confounderof our understandings, that sets the imagination at work to form athousand frightful things that may never happen. And we scarce slept onenight without dreaming of halters, yard-arms, or gibbets, of fighting,being taken, and being killed; nay, so violent were our apprehensions,that we would bruise our hands and heads against the sides of thecabin, as though actually engaged. The story of the Dutch cruelty atAmboyns, often came into our thoughts when awake; and, for my part, Ithought my condition very hard; that after so many difficulties and suchsignal deliverances, I should be hanged in my old age, though innocentof any crime that deserved such punishment; but then religion would seemto represent to me, as though the voice of it had said; 'consider, Oman! what sins you have been formerly guilty of; which now thou artcalled to an account for, to expiate with thy blood! And as to thyinnocence, what art thou more innocent than thy blessed Redeemer, JesusChrist, who suffered for thy offences, and to whose providence you oughtto submit, let what will happen?' After this, natural courage wouldinspire me to resist to the last drop of blood, and sooner die thansuffer myself to be taken by boorish, rascally Dutchmen, who had arts totorment beyond death itself.
But now, thank kind Heaven, being ashore; our old pilot procured us alodging and a warehouse for our goods; it was a little hut with a largewarehouse joining to it, all built with canes, and pallisadoed roundwith large ones, to keep out pilfering thieves, which are very numerousin that country. The magistrates allowed us a little guard during thenight, and we employed a centinel with a kind of halbert for three pencea day. The fair, or mart, we found, had been over for some time;however, there remained in the river four junks and two Japan ships, themerchants of the latter being on shore. In the first place, our oldpilot brought us acquainted with the missionary Roman priests, who wereconverting the people to Christianity: two of them were reserved, rigid,and austere, applying themselves to the work they came about with greatearnestness, but the third, who was a Frenchman, called Father Simon,was of a freer conversation, not seemingly so serious and grave, yet noworse Christian than the other two, one of whom was a Portuguese, andthe other a Genoese. Father Simon, it seems, was appointed to go toPekin, the royal seat of the Emperor of the Chinese; and he only waitedfor another priest, who was ordered from Macao to accompany him. Wenever met together, but he was prompting me to accompany him in thatjourney: _Sir_, said he, _I will show you the glorious things of thismighty empire, and a city, the city of Pekin, far exceeding London andParis, put them both together_. One day in particular, being at dinnerwith him, I showed some inclination to go; which made him press the moreupon me and my partner, to gain our perfect consent. _But, FatherSimon_, said my partner, _what satisfaction can you have in our company,whom you esteem as heretics, and consequently objects not worthy yourregard? O_, said he, _you may be as good Catholics in time as those Ihope to convert to our religion. And so_, said I, _we shall have youpreaching to us all the way, instead of pleasing us with a descriptionof the country. Sir_, said he, _however our religion may be villified bysome people, it is very certain it neither divests us of good manners orChristian charity; and as we are gentlemen, as such we may conversetogether, without making one another uneasy_.
But we shall leave him a while, to consider our ship and the merchandisewhich we had to dispose of. There was but very little trade in the placewhere we were; and I was once resolved to venture to sail to the riverKilam, and so to the city of Nanquin; but Providence ordered itotherwise, by our old pilot's bringing a Japan merchant to us, to seewhat goods we had. He immediately bought our opium, for which he gave usa very good price in gold by weight, some wedges of which were about tenor eleven ounces. It came into my head that perhaps he might buy theship too; and I ordered the interpreter to propose it to him. He saidnothing then, but shrugged up his shoulders; yet in a few days after hecame accompanied by a missionary priest, who was his interpreter, withthis proposal, _That as he had bought a great quantity of our goods, hehad not money enough to purchase our ship; but if I pleased he wouldhire her, with all my men, to go to Japan, and from thence with anotherloading to the Philippine islands, the freight of both which he wouldvery willingly pay to us before; and at their return to Japan, would buythe ship_. Upon this we asked the Captain and his men if they werewilling to go to Japan; to which they unanimously agreed. While this wasin agitation, the young man my nephew left to attend me, told me, "Thatas I did not care to accept his prospect of advantage he would manage itfor me as I pleased, and render me a faithful account of his success,which would be wholly mine." Indeed I was very unwilling to part withhim; but considering it might be for the young man's good, I discoursedwith my partner about it, who, of his own generosity, gave him his shareof the vessel, so that I could do no otherwise than give him mine: but,however, we let him have but the proper half of it, and preserved apower, that when we met in England, if he had obtained success, heshould account to us for one half of the profit of the ship's freightand the other should be his own. Thus having taken a writing under hishand, away he sailed to Japan, where the merchant dealt very honestly byhim, got him a licence to come on shore, sent him loaded to thePhilippines with a Japanese supercargo, from whence he came back againloaded with European goods, cloves, and other spiceries. By this voyageh
e cleared a considerable sum of money, which determined him not to sellhis ship, but to trade on his own account; so he returned to theManillas, where, getting acquaintance, he made his ship free, was hiredby the governor privately to go to Acapulco in America, on the Mexicancoast, with a licence to travel to the great city of Mexico. Thistraffic turned out greatly to account, and my friend finding means toget to Jamaica, returned nine years after exceedingly rich into England.
In parting with the ship, it comes in course to consider of those menwho had saved our lives when in the river of Cambodia; and though, bythe way, they were a couple of rogues, who thought to turn piratesthemselves, yet we paid them what they had before demanded, and gaveeach of them a small sum of money, making the Englishman a gunner, andthe Dutchman a boatswain, with which they were very well contented.
We were now about 1000 leagues farther from home, than when at Bengal.All the comfort we could expect was, that there being another fair to bekept in a month's time, we might not only purchase all sorts of thatcountry's manufactures, but very possibly find some Chinese junks, orvessels from Tonquin, to be sold, which would carry us and our goodswheresoever we pleased. Upon these hopes, we resolved to continue; and,to divert ourselves, we took several little journies in the country.About ten days after we parted with the ship, we travelled to see thecity of Nanquin. The city lies in latitude 30 degrees north of the line:it is regularly built, and the streets are exactly straight, and crossone another in direct lines, which sets it out to the greatestadvantage. At our return, we found the priest was come from Macao, thatwas to accompany Father Simon to Pekin. That Father earnestly solicitedme to accompany him, & I referred him to my partner. In short, we bothagreed, and prepared accordingly; and we were so lucky as to haveliberty to travel among the retinue of one of their Mandarines, who is aprincipal magistrate, and much reverenced by the people.
We were five and twenty days travelling thro' this miserable country,infinitely populous, but as indifferently cultivated; and yet theirpride is infinitely greater than their poverty, insomuch that theypriests themselves derided them. As we passed by the house of one oftheir country gentlemen, two leagues off Nanquin, we had the honour,forsooth, to ride with the Chinese squire about two miles. Never was DonQuixote so exactly imitated! Never such a compound of pomp and povertyseen before!
His habit, made of calico, was dirty, greasy, and very proper for aMersy Andrew or Scaramouch, with all its tawdry trappings, as hangingsleeves, tassels, &c. though torn and rent in almost every part; hisvest underneath it was no less dirty, but more greatly; resembling themost exquisite sloven or greasy butcher; his horse (worse thanRosinante, or the famous steed of doughty Hudibras) was a poor starveddecrepid thing, that would not sell for thirty shillings in England;and yet this piece of worshipful pomp was attended with ten or twelveslaves who guarded their master to his country seat. We stopped at alittle village for refreshment; and when we came by the country seat ofthis great man, we found him sitting under a tree before his door,eating a mess of boiled rice, with a great piece of garlic in themiddle, and a bag filled with green pepper by him, and another plantlike ginger, together with a piece of lean mutton in it: this was hisworship's repast: but pray observe the state of the food! two womenslaves brought him his food, which being laid before him, two othersappeared to perform their respective offices; one fed him with a spoon,while the other scraped off what fell upon his beard and taffety vest,and gave it to a particular favourite to eat. And thus we left thewretch pleased with the conceit of our admiring his magnificence, whichrather merited our scorn and detestation.
At length we arrived at the great city of Pekin, accompanied by twoservants, and the old Portuguese pilot, whose charges we bore, and whoserved us as an interpreter by the way. We had scarce been a week atPekin, but he comes laughing to us. "Ah! Seignior Inglise, (said he) mesomething tell you make your heart glad, but make me sorry: for yourbring me here twenty-five days journey, and now you leave me go backalone; and which way shall I make my port after, without de ship,without de horse, without pecune?" so he called money in his brokenLatin. He then informed me, that there was a great caravan of Muscoviteand Polish merchants in the city, who were preparing to set out forMuscovy by land within six weeks; and, that he was certain we would takethis opportunity, and consequently that he must go home by himself.Indeed this news infinitely surprised & pleased me. "Are you certain ofthis?" said I, "Yes, Sir, (says he) me sure its true." And so he toldme, that having met an old acquaintance of his, an Armenian, in thestreet, who was among them, and who had come from Astracan, with adesign to go to Tonquin, but for certain reasons having altered hisresolutions, he was now resolved to go with the caravan, and to returnby the river Wolga to Astracan. "Well, Seignior, (said I) don't bediscontented about your returning alone; and if, by this means, I canfind a passage to England, it will be your own fault if you return toMacao at all." And so consulting with my partner what was best to bedone, he referred it to me as I pleased, having our affairs so wellsettled at Bengal, that if he could convert the good voyage he had madein China silks, wrought or raw, he would be satisfied to go to England;and so return to Bengal in the Company's ships. Thus resolved, we agreedthat if our pilot would go with us, we would bear his charges either toMoscow or England; and to give him in a present the sum of one hundredand seventy pounds sterling. Hereupon we called him in, and told him thecause of his complaint should be removed, if he would accompany us withthe caravans; and, therefore, we desired to know his mind. At this heshook his head, "Great long journey, (said he) me no pecune carry me toMoscow, or keep me there." But we soon put him out of that concern, bymaking him sensible of what we would give him here to lay out the bestadvantage; and, as for his charges, we would set him safe on shore, Godwilling, either in Muscovy or England, as he pleased, at our own charge,except the carriage of his goods. At this proposal, he was like a mantransported, telling us he would go with us all the world over; and wemade preparations for our journey; but it was near four months beforeall the merchants were ready.
In the mean time, my partner and the pilot went express to the portwhere we first put in, to dispose of what goods had been left there,while I accompanied a Chinese merchant who was going to Nanquin, andthere bought twenty-nine pieces of damask, with about three hundred moreof other fine silks; and, by the time my partner returned to Pekin, Ihad them all carried thither; our cargo in silks amounted to 45col.sterling, which, together with tea, fine calicoes, nutmegs, and cloves,loaded eighteen camels for our share, besides what we rode upon, withtwo or three spare horses, and two more loaden with provisions; thecompany now was very great, making about four hundred horse, and aboveone hundred and twenty men, well armed and provided. We were of severalnations, among whom were five Scotch merchants, inhabiting in Moscow,and well experienced in trade.
We set out from Pekin the beginning of February our stile; and in twodays more, we passed through the gate of the great China wall, which waserected as a fortification against the Tartars, being one hundredEnglish miles long. We then entered a country not near so populous,chiefly under the power of plundering Tartars, several companies of whomwe perceived riding on poor starved horses, contemptible as themselveswithout order of discipline. One time our leader, for the day, gave usleave to go a hunting; but what do you think we hunted? only a parcel ofsheep, which indeed exceeded any in the world for wildness andswiftness; but while we were pursuing this game, it was our chance tomeet with about forty Tartars, who no sooner perceived us, but one ofthem blew a horn, at the sound of which there soon appeared a troop offorty or fifty more, at about a mile's distance. Hereupon, one of theScots merchants (who knew their ways) ordered us to advance towardsthem, and attack them immediately, As we advanced, they let fly avolley of arrows, which happily fell a little short of us; this made ushalt a little, to return the compliment with bullets; and then being ledup by the bold Scot, we fired our pistols in their faces, and drew outour swords; but there was no occasion; for they flew like timoroussheep, & only th
ree of them remained, beckoning to the rest to comeback. But our brave commander gallops up to them by himself, shot onedead, knocked another of his horse, while the third ran away; and thusended our battle with the Tartars.
We travelled a month more through the Emperor of China's dominions; andat length coming to one of their towns about a day and a half's journeyfrom the city of Naum, I wanted to buy a camel. The person I spoke towould have brought me one, but, like a fool, I must go along with him,about two miles from the village. My old pilot and I walked on foot,forsooth, for some variety, when coming to the place where the camelswere kept as in a park guarded by Chinese soldiers, we there agreed andbought one, which the Chinese man that came along with me led along theroad. But we had not gone far, before we were attacked by five Tartars,mounted on horseback, two of whom seized the man, took the camel fromhim, and rode away, while the other three approached us, the first ofwhom suddenly seized me as I was drawing my sword, the second; knockedme down, but my old trusty Portuguese taking a pistol out of his pocket,which I knew nothing of, and coming up to the fellow that struck me, hewith one hand pulled him off his horse, and then shot him dead upon thespot; then taking his scymitar, he struck at the man that stopped us,but missing him, cut off one of his horses ears, the pain of which madehim throw his rider to the ground. The poor Chinese who had led thecamel, seeing the Tartar down, runs to him, and seizing upon hispole-ax, wrenched it from his hands, and knocked his brains out. Butthere was another Tartar to deal with, who seeming neither inclined tofight nor fly, and my old man having begun to charge his pistol, thevery sight of it struck such a terror into the wretch, that away hescoured, leaving my old pilot, rather my champion and defender, anabsolute victory.
By this time being awakened from my trance, I began to open my eyes,wondering where I was, having quite forgot all that passed; but mysenses returning, and feeling a great pain in my head, and seeing theblood was running over my clothes, I instantly jumped upon my feet, andgrasped my sword in my hand, with a resolution to take revenge: but noenemies now remained, except the dead Tartar, with his horse standing byhim. The old man seeing me recovered, whom he thought slain, ran towardsme, and embraced me with the greatest tenderness, at the same timeexamining into my wound, which was far from being mortal. When wereturned to the village, the man demanded payment for his camel, which Irefusing, we brought the cause, before a Chinese judge, who acted withgreat impartiality: Having heard both sides, he asked the Chinese manthat went with me, whose servant he was? _Sir,_ said he, _I am nobody's,but went with the stranger at his request: Why then_, said the judge,_you are the stranger's servant for the time, and the camel beingdelivered to his servant, it is the same as though delivered to himself,and accordingly he must pay for it._ Indeed the case was so fairlystated, that I had nothing to object to it; so, having paid for that Iwas robbed of, I sent for another, but did not go myself to fetch it, asI had enough of that sport before.
The city of Naum is a frontier of the Chinese empire, so fortified, assome will tell you, that millions of Tartars cannot batter down theirwalls; by which certainly one might think one of our cannons would domore execution than all their legions.
When we were within a day's march of that city, we had information thatthe governor had sent messengers to every part of the road, to informthe travellers and caravans to halt, till a guard was sent to protectthem from the numerous bodies of Tartars that lately appeared about thecity. This news put us into great consternation; but, obeying theorders, we stopt; & two days after, there came two hundred soldiers froma garrison of the Chinese, and three hundred more from Naum; thusguarded both in the front and rear, with our own men in the flanks, weboldly advanced, thinking we were able to combat with ten thousand MogulTartars, if they appeared.
Early next morning, in our march from a little well situated town calledChangu, after having passed a river, and entered upon a desert of aboutfifteen or sixteen miles over, we soon beheld by a cloud of dust thatwas raised, that the enemy was approaching. This much dispirited theChinese. My old pilot took notice of it, and called out, _SeignorInglise, those fellows must be encouraged, or they will ruin us all, andI am afraid if the Tartars attack us, they will all run away_. "Why,Seignor, (said I), what shall be done in this case?" _Done_, says he,_why let fifty of our men advance, and flank them on each wing. I knowthe fellows will fight well enough in company_. We accordingly took hisadvice, and marched fifty to the right wing, and the same number to theleft, and with the rest made a line of reserve, leaving the last twohundred men to guard the camels, or to assist us, as occasion required.
Thus prepared, a party of the enemy came forward, viewing our posture,and traversing the ground on the front of our line. Hereupon we orderedthe two wings to move on, and give them a salute with their shot; whichaccordingly was done. This put a stop to their proceedings; forimmediately wheeling off to their left, they all marched away, and wesaw no more of them. They had undoubtedly given an account to theircompanions of what reception they might expect, which made them toeasily give over their enterprize.
When we came to the city of Naum, we returned the governor heartythanks, and distributed a hundred crowns among the soldiers that guardedus. We rested there one day, and then proceeded on our travels, passingseveral great rivers and deserts and on the 13th of April we came to thefrontiers of Muscovy, the first town of which was called Argun.
This happy occasion, as I thought, of coming into a Christian country,made me congratulate the Scots merchant upon it. He smiled at that,telling me not to rejoice too soon; _for_, said he, _except the Russiansoldiers in garrison, and a few inhabitants of the cities upon the road,all the rest of this country, for above a thousand miles, is inhabitedby the most ignorant and barbarous Pagans_.
We advanced from the river Arguna, by moderate journies and foundconvenient garrisons on the road, filled with Christian soldiers for thesecurity of commerce, and for the convenient lodgings of travellers: butthe inhabitants of the country were mere Pagans, worshiping the sun,moon, and stars. We particularly observed this idolatry near the riverArguna, at a city inhabited by Tartars and Russians, called Nerisinkey.Being curious to see their way of living, while the caravan continued torest themselves in that city, I went to one of their villages, wherethere was to be one of their solemn sacrifices.
There I beheld upon the stump of an old tree, an idol of wood, more uglythan the representation of the devil himself: its head resembled noliving creature; its ears were as big and as high as goat's horns, acrooked nose, four-cornered mouth, and horrible teeth: it was clothed insheep skins, had a great Tartar bonnet, with two horns growing thro' it,and was eight feet high, without feet, legs or proportion. Before thisidol their lay sixteen or seventeen people, who brought their offerings,and were making their prayers, while at a distance stood three men andone bullock, as victims to this ugly monster.
Such stupendous sacrilege as this, in robbing the true God of hishonour, filled me with the greatest astonishment and reflection: whichsoon turning to rage and fury, I rode up to the image, and cut in piecesthe bonnet that was upon his head with my sword, so that it hung down byone of the horns, while one of my men that was with me pulled at it byhis sheep-skin garment. Immediately an hideous howling and outcry ranthrough the village, and two or three hundred people coming about ourears, we were obliged to fly for it.
But I had not done with the monster; for the caravan being to restthree nights in the town, I told the Scots merchant what I had seen, andthat I was resolved to take four or five men well armed with me, inorder to destroy the idol, and show the people how little reason theyhad to trust in a god who could not save himself. At first he laughed atme, representing the danger of it, and when it was destroyed, what timehad we to preach to them better things, whole zeal and ignorance was inthe highest degree, and both unparalleled? that if I should be taken bythem, I should be served as a poor ruffian, who contemned their worship;that is, to be stripped naked, and tied to the top of the idol, thereshot at with arrows ti
ll my body was fall of them, and then burnt as asacrifice to the monster; _but Sir_, said he, _since your zeal carriesyou so far, rather than you should be alone I will accompany you, andbring a stout fellow equal to yourself, if you will, to assist you inthis design:_ and accordingly he brought one Captain Richardson, who,hearing the story, readily consented; but my partner declined it, beingaltogether out of his way: and so we three, and my servant, resolved toexecute this exploit about midnight; but upon second thoughts wedeferred it to the next night, by reason that the caravan being to gofrom hence the next morning, we should be out of the governor's power.The better to effectuate my design, I procured a Tartar's sheep-skinrobe, a bonnet, with bow and arrows, and every one of us got the likehabits, the first night we spent in mixing combustible matter with aquavitae, gunpowder, &c. having a good quantity of tar in a little pot:next night we came up to the idol about eleven o'clock, the moon beingup. We found none guarding it; but we perceived a light in the house,where we had seen the priests before. One of our men was for firing thehut, another for killing the people, and a third for making themprisoners, while the idol was destroyed. We agreed to the latter; soknocking at the door, we seized the first that opened it, and stoppinghis mouth and tying his feet, we left him. We served the other two inthe like manner; and then the Scots merchant set fire to thecomposition, which frightened them so much, that we brought them allaway prisoners to their wooden god. There we fell to work with him,daubing him all over with tar mixed with tallow and brimstone stoppinghis eyes, ears, and mouth full of gunpowder, with a great piece ofwild-fire in his bonnet, and environed it with dry forage. All thisbeing done, we unloosed and ungagged the prisoners, and set the idol onfire, which the gunpowder blowing up, the shape of it was deformed, rentand split, which the forage utterly consumed; for we staid to see itsdestruction, lest the ignorant idolatrous people should have thrownthemselves into the flames, And thus we came away undiscovered, in themorning appearing as busy among our fellow travellers, as no body couldhave suspected any other, but that we had been in our beds all night.
Next morning we let out, and had gone but a small distance from thecity, when there came a multitude of people of the country to the gatesof the city, demanding satisfaction of the Ruffian governor forinsulting their priests, and burning their great Cham Cai-Thaungu, whodwelt in the sun, and no mortal would violate this image but someChristian miscreants; and being already no less than thirty thousandstrong, they announced war against him and all his Christians.
The governor assured them he was ignorant of the matter, and that noneof his garrison had been abroad; that indeed there was a caravan thatwent away that morning, and that he would send after them to inquireinto it; and whoever was the offender, should be delivered into theirhands. This satisfied them for the present, but the governor sent toinform us, that if any of us had done it, we should make all the hasteaway possible, while he kept them in play as long as he could. Upon thiswe marched two days and two nights, stopping but very little, till atlast we arrived at a village called Plothus, and hasted to Jerawena,another of the Czar's colonies. On the third day, having entered thedesert, and passed the lake called Shaks Oser, we beheld a numerous bodyof horde on the other side or it to the north, who supposed we hadpassed on that side of the lake; but either having found the mistake, orbeing certainly informed of the way we took, they came upon us towardsthe dusk of the evening, just as we had pitched our camp between twolittle but very thick woods, with a little river running before ourfront and some felled trees with which we covered our rear; a precautionwe always took, and which we had just finished when the enemy came up.They did not fall on us immediately, but sent three messengers,demanding the men who had insulted their priests, & burnt their god,Cham Chi-Thaungu, that they might be burnt with fire; that if this wascomplied with, they would peaceably depart; but if not, they woulddestroy one and all of us. Our men stared at one another on receipt ofthis message, but Nobody was the word, as indeed nobody knew it, but hewho did it. Upon which the leader of the caravan returned for answer,_That they were peaceable merchants, who meddled with none of theirpriests and gods and therefore desired, them not to disturb us, and putus to the necessity of defending ourselves_. But do far was this fromsatisfying them, that the next morning coming to our right, they let flya volley of arrows among us, which happily did not hurt any, because wesheltered ourselves behind our baggage. We expected however to come to acloser engagement; but were happily saved by a cunning fellow, aCossack, who obtaining leave of the leader to go out, mounts his horse,rides directly from our rear, and taking a circuit, comes up to theTartars, as tho he had been sent express, and tells them a formal story,that the wretches who had burnt the Cham Chi-Thaungu, were gone toShiheilka, with a resolution to burn the god Shal-Ifar, belonging to theTongueses. Upon which, believing this cunning Tartar, who was servant toour Muscovites, away they drove to Shiheilka, and in less than threeminutes were out of sight, nor did we ever hear of them more.
When we came to the city of Jarawena, we rested five days, and thenentered into a frightful desert, which held us twenty-three days march,infested with several small companies of robbers, or Mogul Tartars, whonever had the courage to attack us. After we had passed over thisdesert, we found several garisons to defend the caravans from theviolence of the Tartars. In particular the Governor of Adinskoy offeredus a guard of fifty men to the next station, if we apprehended anydanger. The people here retained the same paganism and barbarity, onlythey were not so dangerous, being conquered by the Muscovites. Theclothing, both of men & women, is of the skins of beasts, living underthe ground in vaults & caves, which have a communication with oneanother. They have idols almost in every family; besides, they adore thesun and stars, water and snow; and the least uncommon thing that happensin the elements, alarms them as much as thunder and lightning does theunbelieving Jews.
Nothing remarkable occurred in our march through this country. When wehad gone through the desert, after two days farther travel; we came toJenezoy, a Muscovite city, on the great river so called, which we weretold, parted Europe from Asia. The inhabitants here were very littlebetter, though intermixed with the Muscovites, but the wonder willcease, when I inform my readers of what was observed to me, that theCzar rather converts the Tartars with soldiers than clergymen, and ismore proud to make them faithful subjects, than good Christians.
From this city to the river Oby, we travelled over a pleasant, fruitful,but very uncultivated country, for want of good management and people,and those few are mostly Pagans. This is the place where the Muscovitecriminals are banished to, if they are not put to death. The next citywe came to, was the capital city of Siberia, called Tobolski when havingbeen almost seven months on our journey, and winter drawing on apace, mypartner and I consulted about our particular affairs in what manner weshould dispose of ourselves. We had been told of sledges and rein-deerto carry us over the snow in the winter season, the snow being frozen sohard, that the sledges can run upon the surface without any danger ofgoing down. As I was bound to England, I now behoved either to go withthe caravan to Jerosaw, from thence west to Marva, and the gulph ofFinland, and so by land or sea to Denmark; or else I must leave thecaravan at a little town on the Dwina, and so to Archangel, where I wascertain of shipping either to England, Holland, or Hamburgh. One night Ihappened to get into the company of an illustrious, but banished Prince,whose company and virtues were such as made me to propose to him amethod how he might obtain his liberty. _My dear friend_, said he, _as Iam here happily free from my miserable greatness with all its attendantsof pride, ambition, avarice, and luxury, if I should escape from thisplace, those pernicious seeds may again revive, to my lastingdisquietude; therefore let me remain in a blessed confinement, for I ambut flesh, a mere man, with passions and affections as such; O be not myfriend and tempter too!_ Struck dumb with surprise, I stood silenta-while; nor was he less in disorder, by which perceiving he wanted togive vent to his mind, I desired him to consider of it, and so withdrew.But about two hours
after he came to my apartment: _Dear friend_, saidhe, _though I cannot consent to accompany you, I shall have thissatisfaction in parting, that you leave me an honest man still: but as atestimony of my affection to you, be pleased to accept this presentof sables_.
In return for his compliment, I sent my servant next morning to hisLordship with a small present of tea, two pieces of China damask, andfour little wedges of gold; but he only accepted the tea, one piece ofdamask, and one piece of gold, for the curiosity of the Japan stamp thatwas upon it. Not long after he sent for me, and told me, _that what hehad refused himself, he hoped upon his account, I would grant to anotherwhom he should name:_ In short it was his only son, who was about twohundred miles distant from him, on the other side of the city, whom hesaid he would send for, if I gave my consent. This I soon complied with;upon which he sent his servants next day for his son, who returned intwenty days time, bringing seven horses loaded with valuable furs. Atnight the young Lord was conducted incognito into our apartment, wherehis father presented him to me. We then concerted the best ways fortravelling, and after having bought a considerable quantity of sables,black fox-skins, fine ermines, &c. (which I sold at Archangel at a goodprice) we set out from this city the beginning of June, making a smallcaravan, being about thirty-two horses and camels, of which Irepresented the head. My young Lord had with him a very faithfulSiberian servant, well acquainted with the roads: We shunned theprincipal towns and cities, as Tumen, Soli Kamoskoi, and several others,by reason of their strictness in examining travellers, lest any of thebanished persons of distinction should escape. Having passed the riverKama, we came to a city on the European side, called Soloy Kamoskoi,where we found the people mostly Pagans as before. We then passed adesert of about two hundred miles over; but in other places it is nearseven hundred. In passing this wild place, we were beset by a troop ofmen on horseback, and about five and forty men armed with bows andarrows. At first they looked earnestly on us, and then placed themselvesin our way. We were above sixteen men, and drew up a little line beforeour camels. My young Lord sent out his Siberian servant, to know whothey were; but, when he approached them, he neither knew a word theysaid; nor would they admit him to come near them at his peril, butprepared to shoot him. At his return, he told us he believed them to beCalmuc Tartars; and that there were more upon the desert. This was but asmall comfort to us; yet seeing a little grove, about a quarter of amile's distance, we moved to it, by the old Portuguese pilot's advice,without meeting with any opposition. Here we found a marshy piece ofground, and a spring of water running into a little brook on one side,which joined another like it a little further off, and these two formedthe head of the river called Writska. As soon as we arrived, we went towork, cutting great arms off the trees, and laying them hanging (notquite off from one tree to another). In this situation we waited themotion of the enemy, without perceiving any advancement they madetowards us. About two hours before night, being joined by some others,in all about fourscore horse, among whom we fancied were some women,they came upon us with great fury. We fired without ball, calling tothem in the Russian tongue, to know their business; but they, either notknowing, or seeming not to understand us, came directly to the woodside, nor considering that we were to be fortified, as that they couldnot break in. Our old pilot, the Portuguese, proved both our captain andengineer, and desired us not to fire, till they came within pistol shot;and when he gave the word of command, then to take the surest aim: buthe did not bid us give fire, till they were within two pikes length ofus, and then we filled fourteen of them, wounded several, as also theirhorses, having every one of us loaded our pieces with two or threebullets at least. So much were they surprised at our undauntedness, thatthey retired about a hundred roods from us. In the mean while we loadedour pieces again, and sallying out, secured four or five of theirhorses, whose riders we found were killed, and perceived them to beTartars. About an hour after, they made another attempt, to see wherethey might break in; but finding us ready to receive them, they retired.
All that night we wrought hard, in strengthening our situation, andbarricading the entrances into the woods; but when day-light came, wehad a very unwelcome discovery; for the enemy, being encouraged bytheir numbers, had set up eleven or twelve tents, in form of a camp,about three quarters of a mile from us. I must confess, I was never moreconcerned in my life, giving myself and all that I had over for lost.And my partner declared, that as the loss of his goods would be hisruin, before they should be taken from him, he would fight to the lastdrop of his blood. As we could not pretend to force our way, we hadrecourse to a stratagem; we kindled a large fire, which burnt all night;and no sooner was it dark, but we pursued our journey towards the poleor north star, and travelling all night; by six o'clock in the morningwe came to a Russian village called Kertza, and from thence came to alarge town named Ozonzoys, where we heard that several troops of CalmucTartars had been abroad upon the desert, but that we were past alldanger. In five days after we came to Veuslima, upon the river Witzedga;from thence we came to Lawrenskoy, on the third of July, where,providing ourselves with two luggage boats, and a convenient bark, weembarked the seventh, and arrived at Archangel the eighteenth, after ayear, five months, and three days journey, including the eight monthsand odd days at Tobolski. We came from Archangel the 20th of August inthe same year, and arrived at Hamburg the 30th of September. Here mypartner and I made a very good sale of our goods, both those of Chinaand Siberia; when dividing our effects, my share came to 3475l. 17s. 3d.after all the losses we had sustained, and charges we had been at. Herethe young Lord took his leave of me, in order to go to the court ofVienna, not only to seek protection, but to correspond with his father'sfriends. After we had staid four months in Hamburgh, I went from thenceoverland to the Hague, where embarking in the packet, I arrived inLondon the 10th of January 1705, after ten years and nine months absencefrom England.